Abhishek Sharma smashes 79 runs as India beats England by 7 wickets in first T20

KOLKATA, India (AP) — Abhishek Sharma scored a 20-ball half-century as India beat England by seven wickets Wednesday in the first T20 of their five-match series.

India's opener smacked five fours and eight sixes, scoring 79 off 34 balls, as he blasted the English bowling to all parts at the historic Eden Gardens. India scaled the target in only 12.5 overs, finishing with 133-3, in reply to the visitors’ 132 all out.

This was after India had won the toss and put England to bat. Mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy picked 3-23 in four overs. Seamers Arshdeep Singh (2-17) and Hardik Pandya (2-42) picked a brace each, while left-arm spinner Axar Patel also took 2-22.

Sharma topped his previous quickest half-century (24 deliveries) against South Africa last November.

Sanju Samson had provided a quick start with 26 off 20 balls, including four fours and a six, but he fell to Jofra Archer’s short bowling.

Archer (2-21) provided the only stern test for Indian batters — skipper Suryakumar Yadav was out caught for a three-ball duck and Tilak Varma was also in trouble against the short stuff.

But Varma stayed put at one end, while Sharma took the English attack to the cleaners at the other.

Sharma smacked Mark Wood, then Adil Rashid, and later Jamie Overton — striking at 200-plus through his innings.

Sharma scored at 232.35 in all as he put on 84 off 42 balls with Varma for the third wicket — Varma only contributed 15 runs in there.

He miscued a shot off Rashid near the end, as Pandya helped finish things for India.

Earlier, Arshdeep Singh provided a fiery start to put England in early trouble at 17-2. He dismissed openers Phil Salt (0) and Ben Duckett (4) in successive overs.

Skipper Jos Buttler resisted with 68 runs off 44 balls — including eight fours and two sixes. He put on 48 off 28 balls with Harry Brook, the only decent partnership from the English lineup.

Buttler was untroubled against pace or spin, with the latter especially troubling English batters. Chakravarthy wreaked havoc as Brook played on off a googly.

Liam Livingstone was unable to read his spin as well — out for a two-ball duck. Jacob Bethell fell to Pandya for seven runs, as England was down to 83-5 in 11.5 overs.

Patel ran through the lower order and despite Buttler’s fighting half-century, England finished with an under-par score at the high scoring venue.

The second T20 will be played in Chennai on Saturday.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

India's Abhishek Sharma bats during the first T20 cricket match between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

England head coach Brendon McCullum plays with a soccer ball before the start of the first T20 cricket match between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

England head coach Brendon McCullum plays with a soccer ball before the start of the first T20 cricket match between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

England's captain Jos Buttler, second right, watches as India's captain Suryakumar Yadav tosses the coin ahead of first T20 cricket match between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

India's captain Suryakumar Yadav, left, greets England's captain Jos Buttler after the coin toss for the first T20 cricket match between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

India's Abhishek Sharma, center, and batting partner Tilak Varma run between the wickets to score during the first T20 cricket match between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

England's captain Jos Buttler celebrates after scoring fifty runs during the first T20 cricket match between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

England's captain Jos Buttler plays a shot during the first T20 cricket match between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

England's captain Jos Buttler plays a shot during the first T20 cricket match between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

India's Abhishek Sharma, right, celebrates after scoring fifty runs during the first T20 cricket match between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

India's Abhishek Sharma reacts as he walks off the field after losing his wicket during the first T20 cricket match between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

India's Abhishek Sharma, left, plays a shot during the first T20 cricket match between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

England's Jofra Archer reacts as he fails to take the catch of India's Abhishek Sharma during the first T20 cricket match between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

India's Abhishek Sharma plays a shot during the first T20 cricket match between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

Michael Olise scored twice as Bayern Munich started the new year by routing Wolfsburg 8-1 with six second-half goals to move 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

Olise, Harry Kane and Luis Díaz picked apart the Wolfsburg defense on Sunday in a display of dominance which leaves Bayern firmly on course to defend the title in only the 16th game of the 34-game season.

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany was pleased his players didn't let up.

“It’s these moments where it’s five, six, 7-1, and they keep running, they keep pressing and keep trying to score goals," he told broadcaster DAZN. "I have to say, I like that.”

In freezing temperatures for Bayern's first game since the winter break, Olise got a brace and Kane and Díaz one apiece, along with goals for substitutes Raphael Guerreiro and Leon Goretzka, and two Wolfsburg own-goals.

Bayern only had two nervous moments all game. The first was Dzenan Pejcinovic's goal for Wolfsburg in the 13th, which leveled the score at 1-1 after right back Konrad Laimer missed an interception.

The other was a brief injury scare for Kane, who needed treatment after being caught on the ankle by defender Moritz Jenz midway through the first half but was soon back in action.

It was Bayern's biggest margin of victory in a Bundesliga game since Kompany took over ahead of the 2024-25 season. His team has scored a remarkable 63 goals in 16 league games this season, nearly four per game, and conceded only 12.

Bayern hasn't lost a Bundesliga game since March and remains the only unbeaten team in any of Europe's five biggest leagues. Wolfsburg is 14th, three points above the relegation zone, as a troubled season hits a new low.

Bayern's closest rivals all had difficulties this weekend as second-place Borussia Dortmund drew 3-3 with Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen lost 4-1 to Stuttgart and Leipzig’s game was postponed due to snow.

Also Sunday, United States full back Joe Scally scored his first goal since 2023 as Borussia Moenchengladbach beat Augsburg 4-0. Gladbach moved up two places to 10th after winning at home for only the second time this season.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Munich's Luis Diaz celebrates scoring during the Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg in Munich, Germany, Sunday Jan. 11, 2026. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)

Munich's Michael Olise celebrates scoring during the Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg in Munich, Germany, Sunday Jan. 11, 2026. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)

Mönchengladbach's Joe Scally, center, celebrates scoring with teammates during the Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Mönchengladbach - FC Augsburg in Mönchengladbach, Germany, Sunday Jan. 11, 2026. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP)

Munich's Michael Olise celebrates scoring during the Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg in Munich, Germany, Sunday Jan. 11, 2026. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)

Munich's Harry Kane celebrates scoring during the Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg in Munich, Germany, Sunday Jan. 11, 2026. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)