India's Shreyas Iyer leads batting in rain‑abandoned T20I vs England

India won the toss in the opening T20I against England and chose to bat, a decision former wicket‑keeper Dinesh Karthik linked to the team's recent series loss in Ireland. The side posted 189/7, with captain Shreyas Iyer scoring 68, Abhishek Sharma adding 59 and Shivam Dube an unbeaten 42.

Persistent rain after India’s innings prevented England from beginning their chase, leading officials to abandon the match without a result. Former India player Parthiv Patel called Iyer’s knock a “masterclass,” praising his ability to read the situation and adapt after early wickets fell.

Both analysts said the performance helped restore confidence after the earlier Ireland games. The second T20I is scheduled for Manchester later this week, leaving the five‑match series level.