The first T20 International match of India vs England series 2021 was played at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on 12 March 2021. England, the no. 1 T20 cricket team in ICC ranking was going to face India sitting at the number 2 position. The Indian team came out to the middle without Bumrah, Natarajan, and Shami in that match, on the other hand, the English team was on the ground with the full power pack players like Morgan, Butler, Sam Curran, Malan, and Jason Roy. England won the toss and invited the opposition to bat first. Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul were on the crease and Adil Rashid got the new ball in hand to open the attack.
India did not get a good start and lost the first four top-order batsmen at the low score of 48 runs in 9.6 overs. Afterward, Shreyas Iyer at the number 5 position tried to handle the situation and contributed crucial 67 runs with eight 4s and one 6 at the strike rate of 139.58 for his team. The Indian team lost the two wickets of Virat Kohli and Shardul Thakur for the duck. No batsmen except Iyer could perform well and surrender in front of England’s bowlers. Jofra Archer from the opposition side did well with the ball and had taken 3 wickets in his 4 overs. Ind could make only 124 runs at the end of the 20 overs and Eng got the target of 125 runs to win the 1st T20I match of Ind vs Eng series 2021. Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Chris Jordan, and Ben Stokes got 1 wicket each in that match.
Jason Roy and Jos Butler were sent on the crease to chase the target and Axar Patel, who dominated the England batsmen in the last test, got the new ball in hand. The England team started well and had made 50 runs at the end of the first Powerplay. Both the openers of the England team performed well and had made the opening partnership of 72 runs in 7.6 overs at the run rate of 9. Jason Roy performed well but missed his fifty and was sent back by Washington Sundar in 11.1 overs. England had gripped the match very tightly with the help of opening partnership and the rest task was completed by Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow. England comfortably got the target in 15.3 overs and won the 1st T20I match of the Ind and Eng series 2021. Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar got 1 wicket each in the match.
England won the 1st T20 match between Ind and Eng in 2021 by 8 wickets with 27 balls remaining and led the 5 T20 matches series by 1-0. Jofra Archer was named Man of the Match for his brilliant bowling performance.