(Photo: Getty Images)

By Harvey Burgess

England secured an impressive seven-wicket victory over India in the first T20 international in Kanpur, helped by an impressive half-century from captain Eoin Morgan.

The away side managed to restrict India to a total of 147/7, as MS Dhoni top scored with 36 off 27 balls.

Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina recorded scores of 29 and 34 respectively, but the total was not enough to stop England from winning the first game in the three-match series.

Moeen Ali took two wickets and the four seamers took one each in what transpired to be a very good bowling performance. Tymal Mills recorded figures of 1-27 on debut, while Adil Rashid strangely didn’t get the opportunity to bowl at all.

Morgan said after the match: “Our bowlers were outstanding. Everyone in the unit executed the plans we talked about. We showed a lot of experience.”

England got off to a fantastic start with the bat, as Sam Billings and Jason Roy hit 41 runs between them before both being bowled by Yuzvendra Chahal in the same over.

Joe Root and Eoin Morgan came in and continued the away side’s fine batting performance, with the latter reaching his half-century with a magnificent six over mid-wicket.

Morgan was caught out by Raina off the very next ball, however Root ensured that England would not slip up in their run chase. The Yorkshire batsman scored a single to secure victory with seven wickets in hand and 11 balls to spare.

The captain said of the run chase: “The opening batsmen got off to a flier and that releases any pressure on the guys coming in after them. Sam Billings hasn’t played much this tour but he has taken his chances when he has had an opportunity.”

The two teams will play again on Sunday in Nagpur before finishing the series on Wednesday in Bangalore.