Debutant Krunal Pandya smashed a quick-fire 31-ball 58 on Tuesday to help India post a challenging 317-run total in the first ODI between India and England in Pune. The hosts reached 250 at the end of the 45th over and then gathered 67 more in the last five overs to finish the innings on a high.
Krunal stitched a century stand for the sixth wicket with KL Rahul as the duo took England bowlers to the cleaners in the last five overs. By reaching a 26-ball fifty, Krunal also registered the fastest ODI half-century by a debutant.
The Baroda all-rounder also boasted the second-highest strike-rate by a player in his maiden ODI outing. Pakistan's Shahid Afridi, who had smashed 102 off 40 deliveries against Sri Lanka at a strike-rate of 255.00, is first on the list.
Krunal also became the 15th Indian batsman to hit a fifty-plus score on debut in ODI cricket. The Mumbai Indians star is the first batsman to do so since Faiz Fazal, who had hit a fifty-plus score on debut back in 2016.
The 29-year-old also joined Saba Karim and Ravindra Jadeja in the list of players who have hit a fifty on debut while batting at No. 7 or below.
Krunal joined Rahul in the middle after the departure of Hardik Pandya in the 41st over. Krunal turned it around along with Rahul as the pair added 112 to bolster India's run-flow at the end. Earlier, opener Shikhar Dhawan laid the platform for a big total with his 98 off 106 balls.
