Shreyas Iyer rocked the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium with a half-century

Shreyas Iyer made a strong comeback for Team India in a thrilling match at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on Friday. This was his first match after returning to Team India in six months, Shreyas Iyer played a brilliant counter-innings and scored 59 runs off 36 balls while chasing India’s target of 249 runs.

Shreyas Iyer came to bat at a crucial juncture after both the Indian openers were dismissed early. Without wasting any time, the right-handed batsman attacked the England bowlers and showed his power-hitting prowess. His most special moment came in the 7th over when he hit two consecutive sixes off England fast bowler Jofra Archer. The first was a powerful pull shot over midwicket, followed by a brilliant uppercut on the very next ball.

The 30-year-old cricketer completed his half-century in just 30 balls, which is his second fastest half-century in ODIs. His blistering knock included eight magnificent boundaries and two huge sixes, with his strike rate going up to 176.7. Iyer’s performance gave India the necessary momentum to chase down the target of 249 runs.

With this innings, Shreyas Iyer achieved a significant milestone in his ODI career, registering his 19th half-century in this format. His overall figures in ODIs now stand at 2,480 runs in 63 matches at an average of 47.69 and a commendable strike rate. The middle-order batsman has been proving his mettle with consistent performances, making him even more important in India’s batting lineup.

Being in a position to accelerate the innings and take on the bowlers fearlessly has always been the hallmark of Iyer’s ODI career. His fastest half-century came against West Indies in Vizag in 2019, where he achieved the feat by scoring 53 runs in just 28 balls with the help of nine boundaries and a six.

And there was more for India to cheer about. Ravindra Jadeja reached 600 international wickets, surpassing England’s legendary pacer James Anderson on the list. Young pacer Harshit Rana started off on a bright note; he and his teammates bundled out England for 248.

While Iyer made a comeback, the Indian bowlers did everything possible to make a strong case for themselves in the ODI series against England.