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- By Sunny Daud
- Thu, 02 Jul 2026 01:37 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Shreyas Iyer created history during the first T20I against England on Wednesday by becoming the first Indian captain to score a half-century in a T20 International on English soil.
The India skipper reached the milestone in the 15th over with a single off Liam Dawson. It was his ninth fifty in T20Is and the first since taking over the captaincy. Iyer eventually scored 68 from 47 balls before Saqib Mahmood trapped him leg before wicket in the 18th over.
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With this knock, Iyer went past Virat Kohli's previous highest T20I score by an Indian captain in England. Kohli had made 47 against England in Cardiff in 2018. Iyer brought up his half-century in 39 deliveries, which was also the slowest fifty of his T20I career. Here is the tally
| Batter Name | Runs | Ground | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shreyas Iyer | 68 | Chester-le-Street | 1 July 2026 |
| Virat Kohli | 47 | Cardiff | 6 July 2018 |
| Virat Kohli | 43 | Bristol | 8 July 2018 |
| Rohit Sharma | 31 | Birmingham | 9 July 2022 |
| MS Dhoni | 30* | Lord’s | 14 June 2009 |
The overall record for the highest T20I score by a captain in England still belongs to former Australia skipper Steve Smith, who smashed 90 off 53 balls against England in Cardiff in 2015. Former West Indies captain Chris Gayle is next on the list with an 88 off 50 balls at The Oval in 2009.
| Batter Name | Runs | Ground | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steve Smith | 90 | Cardiff | 31 Aug 2015 |
| Chris Gayle | 88 | The Oval | 6 Jun 2009 |
| Babar Azam | 85 | Nottingham | 16 Jul 2021 |
| Aaron Finch | 84 | Birmingham | 27 Jun 2018 |
| Jos Buttler | 84 | Birmingham | 25 May 2024 |
| Paul Collingwood | 79 | The Oval | 28 Jun 2007 |
How Iyer shifted the momentum of the game
Iyer came to the crease when India were in a spot of bother after losing two early wickets with only six runs on the board. Instead of taking unnecessary risks, he settled the innings by rotating the strike and building an important partnership with Abhishek Sharma.
As Abhishek played the attacking role, Iyer provided stability from the other end. Once he got set, the stylish Mumbai batter played some eye-catching shots, including a powerful pull off Adil Rashid and a clean six over extra cover.
His calm and well-paced innings helped India recover from an early collapse and guided the side to a competitive total of 189/7.
Iyer's record goes in vain
However, Iyer's memorable knock could not help India secure a win as persistent rain prevented England from beginning their chase. The first T20I was eventually called off without a result.