Abhishek Sharma scored a 20-ball half-century as India beat England by seven wickets Wednesday in the first T20 of their five-match series. India's opener smacked five fours and eight sixes, scoring 79 off 34 balls,

Abhihsek Sharma(Source: DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP via Getty Images) looked in sensational form in India's seven-wicket win in their first T20I of the five-match series against England at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Abhishek Sharma engineered an explosive performance and delivered India's second-fastest fifty for India against England (in terms of balls faced) in the T20I format at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Indian left-handers bashing English bowlers in the T20I format has been a love affair that became famous with Yuvraj Singh's exploits in the 2007 T20 World Cup.

Abhishek Sharma thanked captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir for providing him and other youngsters with the freedom.

Kolkata: Inspired bowling and a 34-ball 79 by opener Abhishek Sharma helped India to a crushing seven-wicket win over England in the first T20 international on Wednesday. Spinner Varun Chakravarthy and fast bowler Arshdeep Singh shared five wickets between them as India bowled out England for 132 after the hosts elected to field first in Kolkata.