India’s Axar Patel starred with a sensational all-round performance as the Men in Blue defeated England in the first ODI of the three-match series. The contest was played at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Tuesday, July 14.
After opting to bat first, England made a decent start, with openers Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell putting on 61 runs for the first wicket. However, India’s seam attack staged a remarkable comeback, reducing the hosts to 107/6. Joe Root and Liam Dawson then steadied the innings with a 121-run partnership off 134 balls for the seventh wicket, before Axar provided the breakthrough by dismissing the latter for 68 off 83 deliveries.
Root remained unbeaten on 76 off 76 balls, but his effort was not enough to take England to a bigger total as the hosts were bowled out for 258 in 47.5 overs, with Axar running through the tail to finish with impressive figures of 4/62 in 9.5 overs.
In reply, India suffered early setbacks as veterans Rohit Sharma (11) and Virat Kohli (5) departed cheaply. Skipper Shubman Gill looked in sublime touch before retiring hurt on 80 off 75 balls, while Shreyas Iyer was run out for 35 off 53 deliveries.
Axar Patel and Washington Sundar then stitched together an unbeaten 102-run partnership off 105 balls to guide India home. Axar remained unbeaten on 57 off 52 balls, while Sundar finished on 52* off 63 as India sealed a six-wicket victory with 28 balls to spare.
Axar was named Player of the Match for his match-winning all-round display. On that note, let’s take a look at the three India players to score 50+ runs and take four wickets in an ODI against England.
#1 Yuvraj Singh
The Maharani Usharaje Trust Cricket Ground in Indore hosted the second ODI of the 2008 series between India and England. After opting to bat, India suffered early blows as Virender Sehwag (1), Suresh Raina (4), and Rohit Sharma (3) departed cheaply. Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh then steadied the innings with a 134-run partnership for the fourth wicket before the former was dismissed for 70 off 76 balls.
Yuvraj, meanwhile, was at his brilliant best, bringing up his century off 107 deliveries before eventually scoring 118 off 122 balls, an innings laced with 15 fours and two sixes. Yusuf Pathan then provided the late flourish with an unbeaten 50 off 29 balls, as the hosts posted 292/9 in their 50 overs.
In reply, Yuvraj starred with the ball as well, claiming the prized wickets of Matt Prior (38), Owais Shah (58), Kevin Pietersen (33), and Andrew Flintoff (43). England were bowled out for 238 in 47 overs, falling 54 runs short of the target, with Yuvraj returning impressive figures of 4/28 in his 10-over spell.
#2 Hardik Pandya
England and India faced off in the third and final ODI of the 2022 series at Old Trafford in Manchester. Put into bat, England were bowled out for 259 in 45.5 overs, with skipper Jos Buttler top-scoring with 60 off 80 balls. For India, Hardik Pandya emerged as the pick of the bowlers, claiming the crucial wickets of Jason Roy (41), Ben Stokes (27), Liam Livingstone (27), and Buttler to finish with figures of 4/24 in seven overs.
Chasing 260, the visitors lost Shikhar Dhawan (1), Rohit Sharma (17), Virat Kohli (17), and Suryakumar Yadav (16) cheaply. Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya then added 133 runs for the fifth wicket before the latter was dismissed for 71 off 55 balls, an innings featuring 10 fours.
Pant, on the other hand, brought up his century and remained unbeaten on 125 off 113 balls, striking 16 fours and two sixes, as the Men in Blue secured a five-wicket victory in 42.1 overs to clinch the series 2-1.
#3 Axar Patel
The latest addition to the list is Axar Patel, who starred in the first ODI of the 2026 series between the two sides in Birmingham. After England opted to bat, the hosts were bowled out for 258 in 47.5 overs, with Axar claiming the last four wickets of Liam Dawson (68), Jofra Archer (12), Adil Rashid (1), and Josh Tongue (0) to finish with figures of 4/62 in 9.5 overs.
In reply, skipper Shubman Gill led from the front before retiring hurt on 80 off 75 balls. Axar then joined forces with Washington Sundar to guide India to their first win of the tour. He remained unbeaten on 57 off 52 balls, smashing five fours and one six, while Sundar finished on 52* off 63 deliveries, including four fours and one six, as the visitors secured a six-wicket victory in 45.2 overs.
Edited by Dev Sharma
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