England have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20 series against India courtesy of a seven-wicket victory in Kanpur this afternoon.
The tourists had been well beaten in the Test and ODI meetings between the two sides, but they went some way to redeeming themselves with an impressive performance in the opening Twenty20 contest.
India were first in to bat and the dangerous Virat Kohli set the tempo early with 29 runs from 26 deliveries.
However, England prevented the hosts from building any devastating partnerships, with every bowler claiming at least one wicket and Suresh Raina (34) and MS Dhoni (36*) the only batsmen to make it past 30.
England were set a target of 148 to win, and they made a solid start through Jason Roy and Sam Billings before Yuzvendra Chahal bowled both of the openers out in quick succession.
Joe Root and Eoin Morgan took up the mantle, though, with the captain hitting 51 from just 38 deliveries to become the first Englishman to reach 1,500 T20 runs for his country.
Morgan was eventually dismissed with England needing 22 to win, and Root carried the tourists over the line, hitting the winning runs with 11 balls to spare to cap off an unbeaten run-a-ball 45.
Barney Corkhill
