India pull off big run chase

Pune : Skipper Virat Kohli and Kedar Jadhav hit blistering centuries to help India chase down 350 and stun England by three wickets in the first one-day international in Pune yesterday.

Kohli (122), who was leading the limited overs side for the first time, and Jadhav (120) put on 200 runs for the fifth wicket as India achieved the target with 11 balls to spare.

Allrounder Hardik Pandya kept his nerves to take India home with his unbeaten 40 off 37 deliveries. Ravichandran Ashwin (15 not out) hit a six to finish off the match in style.  

Earlier put into bat, England posted their highest-ever ODI total against the hosts in India, 350-7, with Jason Roy (73), Joe Root (78) and Ben Stokes (62) scoring half-centuries.

In their reply India were tottering at 63 for four when Kohli and man of the match Jadhav combined forces for a blazing counter attack that caught the Eoin Morgan-led side unawares. Yuvraj Singh (15), who returned to the ODI team after a three-year gap, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (6), playing his first match after relinquishing his limited overs captaincy, failed to fire.

But the 28-year-old skipper lived up to his epithet of ‘King Kohli’ as he smashed 8 fours and 5 sixes during his 105-ball stay at the crease. However, it was the lesser known Jadhav, who was the aggressor in the partnership, putting the England attack to the sword. 

Local boy Jadhav, who recorded his second ODI ton in just his 13th game, hit 12 fours and 4 sixes in his 76-ball knock.

The match took an interesting turn after both the centurions got out with India still needing over 50 runs. But Pandya’s blitz ensured that India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. 

India

L. Rahul b Willey 8

S. Dhawan c Ali b Willey 1

V. Kohli c Willey b Stokes 122

Y. Singh c Buttler b Stokes 15

M.S. Dhoni c Willey b Ball 6

K. Jadhav c Stokes b Ball 120

H. Pandya not out 40

R. Jadeja c Rashid b Ball 13

R. Ashwin not out  15

Extras (b1, lb4, w 11) 16

Total (7 wickets; 48.1 overs) 356