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Fans praise Axar Patel [Source: screengrab]
Team India cruised towards a comfortable win against England in the first ODI of the three-match series. Seasoned all-rounder Axar Patel turned out to be the biggest hero of the match with his exceptional display in both aspects of the game.
After picking up four wickets with the ball, Patel conjured a courageous partnership with fellow spin-bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar to lift India from a precarious 160-4 to an early lead in the series.
The outcome also marked a breath of fresh air for Indian cricket fans, especially after losing six T20Is on the trot in India’s successive whitewashes to Ireland and England. As one can expect, India’s win over England sparked a wave of overwhelming response from Indian fans for ‘Man of the Match’ Axar Patel.
Fans praise Axar for clutch performance
Indian cricket fans took to X and praised star all-rounder Axar Patel for coming up clutch in the first ODI of the series against England. Patel’s performance also helped Team India snap its losing streak as they registered their first win of the ongoing European tour, doing so after suffering six straight T20I defeats.
Also Read- Axar Patel Rewrites India's Record Books With 100 T20I Wickets
Here is a look at how some of the fans are expressing their admirations towards the 32-year-old on the microblogging site.
A record day out for Axar Patel
Axar Patel attained a huge record with his dominant day out against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Tuesday, July 14. The star all-rounder became only the sixth Indian cricketer to score a half-century and take four wickets in a single ODI game.
With the ball, Axar picked up sensational figures of 4-62 in 9.5 overs to snare his maiden four-wicket haul in ODIs. The 32-year-old mopped up the English tail with the wickets of a well-set Liam Dawson and tailenders Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid and Josh Tongue.
Later in the run chase, the senior cricketer compiled 57* runs off just 52 balls with five boundaries and a six, thus notching up his fourth ODI fifty. He raced to the landmark figure in only 39 balls by hitting consecutive boundaries off Will Jacks.
India returns to winning ways, take 1-0 lead
Bowling first, Indian bowlers wrecked England’s top and middle-order at 107-6, with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar making an early impact for their side.
However, a record-breaking 121-run partnership between half-centurions Joe Root and Liam Dawson elevated the English total to a competitive 258 in 47.5 overs.
Chasing 259, legendary batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma both failed to get going in the innings. Captain Shubman Gill led from the front with a courageous 80, but India slipped to 160-4 to concede its middle-overs advantage back to the hosts.
Batting at five and seven, spin-bowling all-rounders Washington Sundar and Axar Patel punched out majestic half-centuries to streer India past the finishing line in just 45.2 overs.
Also Read- "Let's Laugh": Fans Left Frustrated After Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli’s Early Dismissals vs England
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