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England and India begin their five-match T20I series on Wednesday, July 1 at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street. Earlier this year, the Men in Blue won the 2026 T20 World Cup semi-final by seven runs.
Shreyas Iyer-led India will be coming off the back of a disappointing series loss to Ireland. Both teams will be keen to start strong and build momentum for the rest of the tour.
India vs England 1st T20 match details
match: England vs India, 1st T20I
Tournament: India tour of England, 2026
date: Wednesday, June 28, 2026
Time: 6:30 PM local (11:00 PM IST)
venue: Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street
live streaming: sony liv
Live broadcast: Sony Sports Network
India vs England 1st T20 match pitch and weather report
The pitch at the Riverside Ground is more suited to batting, although fast bowlers should still enjoy some movement with the new ball. The powerplay is expected to be the toughest period for the batsmen before the surface settles down. The average first innings score in the last five T20Is at this venue is 163.2.
It is expected to be cool and cloudy in Chester-le-Street on Wednesday evening. The temperature will range between 14°C and 16°C, while humidity is likely to be around 70%.
There is a 30% chance of light drizzle, but the forecast suggests the full match should be possible. Cloudy conditions may help fast bowlers early.
India vs England 1st T20I head-to-head record
India have enjoyed the better of this T20I rivalry, winning 18 of the 30 matches they have played against England, while the Three Lions have registered 12 wins.
The guests have also carried the momentum in recent meetings and have claimed four wins in the last five T20Is. Their latest encounter came in the 2026 T20 World Cup semi-final, where India showed courage to defeat England by seven runs at the Wankhede Stadium.
India vs England 1st T20I Playing XI
England: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Will Jacques, Harry Brook (c), Jacob Bethel, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood.
India: Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Verma, Shivam Dubey, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav.
India vs England 1st T20 match toss prediction
The captain may prefer to bat first at the Riverside Ground. Teams batting first have won three of the five T20Is played at this venue, and a good score can put pressure on the team chasing the target. If conditions remain dry, expect the captain who wins the toss to elect to bat first.
India vs England 1st T20 Match Score Prediction
If England bat first, they have the depth to score a total between 175 and 190. Playing at home, their power-packed lineup will aim to make the most of the conditions.
If India bat first, they will hope for a strong start from their top order and will aim to score between 165 to 180 in the first innings to challenge England.
Key players to watch in India vs England 1st T20 match
England
Harry Brooke: The England captain is entering the series in great form after scoring 296 runs in his last 10 white-ball matches. He will be the main batsman in the middle order.
Joffra Archer: Archer has returned fully fit and will lead England’s pace attack. His pace and accuracy make him a major threat in the new ball and death overs.
Phil Salt: Salt is one of the most dangerous T20 batsmen of England. He can give a great start to the host team with his aggressive batting in the powerplay.
India
Abhishek Sharma: Abhishek has been in great form in 2026, scoring runs at a strike rate of 204. He would like to attack from the first over itself.
Ishan Kishan: Kishan adds strength to India’s batting lineup and has the ability to score runs quickly against both pace and spin.
Arshdeep Singh: India’s leading T20I wicket-taker will lead the pace attack. His swing and death over skills with the new ball make him a key player.
India vs England 1st T20I Best Batsman Prediction
India: Abhishek Sharma is a favorite to finish as India’s highest run-scorer. His aggressive approach and current form makes him a strong option at the top of the order.
England: Harry Brook is favored to score the most runs for England. The captain is in excellent form and will play an important role in the middle order.
India vs England 1st T20I Best Bowler Prediction
India: Arshdeep Singh is expected to lead India’s bowling attack. Conditions can help his swing, making him a strong wicket-taking option.
England: Jofra Archer is favorite to finish as England’s leading wicket-taker. His pace and bounce can trouble India’s top order.
India vs England chances of winning the first T20 match
England: 58%
India: 42%
India vs England 1st T20 Match Prediction: Expert Verdict
England will go into the first T20 match with a slight advantage due to their familiarity with home conditions. Their pace attack can make the most of early movement, while their batting has the depth to set up or chase big scores.