IND vs ENG 1st T20I Match Score Highlights: Abhishek Sharma leads India's cakewalk win over England in Kolkata

Varun Chakravarthy is the Player of the Match for today's game. He picked up three wickets for 23 in his four overs. Arshdeep and Chakravarthy were the ones to set it up for the Men in Blue.

India have bagged this pretty easily. They chase down the mediocre score of 133 in 12.5 overs with seven wickets in hand. Abhishek Sharma's 79 was the biggest highlight of the day as he made batting look so easy and killed the game. India go 1-0 up in the five-match series. 

Abhishek's fireworks come to an end. He played a fabulous knock and has killed the game. Abhishek goes for 79 from 34 balls with India needing only eight now.

The Abhishek-Tilak pair is going well. Abhishek has been the aggressor as he has slammed a 20-ball fifty. Tilak is playing second fiddle. India have brought up their 100 in 10 overs. 

A 20-ball fifty for Abhishek Sharma here. He gets there with a six over fine-leg. India well and truly on course to hunt this down.

The Indian team is on track to chase this down. Abhishek Sharma is going at a quick rate while Tilak has just joined him. Archer bowled well and Buttler used all his four overs inside the first 7. India need 66 from 78 and it should be pretty easy.

And the Indian captain's underwhelming run continues. He has top-edged this one from Jofra high into the sky and Phil Salt takes a well-judged catch.

Sanju Samson holes this pull to deep mid-wicket. Jofra Archer gets the first breakthrough. He goes for 26. He gave a rollicking start with 22 from Atkinson's over.

The two openers are keeping their way going well in this run-chase. 39 from the first four overs. 

4,4,0,6,4,4 - Sanju Samson decimated Gus Atkinson in his first over. The Kerala-born smacked 22 runs in the over as India cruising towards a victory at Eden Gardens. Two overs gone, the Men in Blue are 23/0. England desperately need wickets to bounce back.

The Indian batters are out to chase this meagre score of 133 with Sanju Samson, and Abhishek Sharma in the middle. 

England have managed to get to only 132 here. A run-out on the final ball from Samson as the last pair tried to steal a single. England 132 all-out in 20 overs.

England are eight down and are looking for som solace here. The Indian bowlers have been on top and they find themselves reeling at 121/8 after 19.

Axar gets a wicket too. He removes Jamie Overton, who gets a leading-edge to covers. England sink down further.

After a couple of expensive overs, Hardik Pandya finally gets a wicket. Bethell's struggle ends as he holes a short one from Hardik to Abhishek Sharma at deep mid-wicket.

We are into the half-way stage in the first innings. England have gone two more down after the powerplay Chakravarthy got both. They find themselves 74/4 after 10.

Varun Chakravarthy's googlies are doing the trick. He cleans up Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone in the same over. They are not able to pick the variations from Varun. England 65/4.

The powerplay is done and India would feel they are ahead at this point of time. England have lost both of their openers with Arshdeep Singh making strikes. Buttler is taking his chances and he has Brook in his company as they resume at 46/2 after 6 overs.

And now he owns the record for most wickets by an Indian bowler in T20Is. He removes Duckett after a boundary. Duckett top-edges this one and Rinku Singh runs back from covers to take the catch. England two down now

Arshdeep's wicket of Salt makes him the joint-highest wicket-taker for India in T20Is. He has equalled Chahal's 96 scalps.

We have Hardik firing in from the other end. He is the second bowler with no Shami in today.

And here is the first wicket. After moving the ball on the first two deliveries, Arshdeep gets Salt on the third that bounced little more than he expected. 

And we are ready to go. England openers Ben Duckett and Phil Salt are out in the middle. Arshdeep Singh has the new ball in his hand. Off we go!!

The six-hitting festival starts today here at this iconic Eden Gardens Stadium. The average sixes hit in the last two years is 10 per innings in a T20 game. Dimensions - 59m and 66m square, straight down the ground is 75m. There's a nice tinge of green, not overly green and I don't think it's going to do a whole lot but it'll do enough. It'll carry a little bit as well. The tall England bowlers will get a little bit out of the surface. Generally this is a high-scoring venue. There'll be a lot of runs scored here. More carry and pace on this surface. Looks a bit drier right now, looks white-ish now, but the colour will change and will get darker as the game continues because of the dew factor. There'll be pressure on the bowlers. Not so much (help) for spin, don't think it's going to spin much.

Looks a good wicket, I'm sure it's going to be a good match. There will be some dew around. It's a great ground, it's an honour to play against India in these conditions. Everyone is in a good spot. It's nice to be together, a lot to look forward to. McCullum taking charge, he has a lot of experience. It's going to be a challenge, we are right up for it. There is some incredible talent in both sides. Saqib Mahmood, Brydon Carse, Jamie Smith and Rehan Ahmed will miss out.

We will look to bowl first. The wicket looks sticky, there will be dew later on. It will be heavier later on. The boys have been amazing. The preparations have been good, looking forward to this series. It's going to be great competition between both sides. A good headache, we want to stick to our strengths.

England had revealed their XI on the eve of the game. Four pacers with three spin options for them. Buttler to bat at No.3 and will not keep wickets.

England's Playing XI: Ben Duckett, Philip Salt(w), Jos Buttler(c), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood

Shami's International return has been delayed. Jurel, Washington and Rana are the others to miss out.

India's Playing XI: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy

SKY has won the toss and India are bowling first. SKY confirms Shami is not playing today. Jurel, Washington and Harshit are also not playing today.

Shami is seen doing warm-ups, so we think he might be making his return today itself. Varun, Arshdeep and Nitish are also warming up. Toss coming now

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While the batting unit looks more than settled, India will have to make choices with their bowling department. Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel alongside Hardik Pandya should be the automatic pick. Shami shall play as well as he will return from his injury break into the international colours. This leaves a tossup between Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar and Ravi Bishnoi for possible one place. 

England have named their Playing XI for the game. Four pacers - Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton, Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson are the four pacers alongside spin-bowling options in Adil Rashid, Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell

England's Playing XI: Ben Duckett, Philip Salt(w), Jos Buttler(c), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood

The game can witness Mohammed Shami's return to the Indian colours as he has been picked in the T20I squad to prepare him for the Champions trophy. Shami has not played for India since the 2023 World Cup final and is likely to make a return in the England T20Is now. We will find out if it is as early as the first game.

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the India vs England 1st T20I at Eden Gardens. T20 World Champions India will host England for a five-match extravaganza as two batting powerhouses will unleash their strengths on what are expected to be batting-friendly surfaces. The first stop is Kolkata, where both teams will look to make an early impact. Stay tuned as I, Varun Malik, take you across this game.