Records tumbled at Edgbaston as spin bowling all-rounder
Axar Patel delivered a masterclass for the ages during India's six-wicket
victory over England in the first One Day International. By capturing a
blistering career-best 4/62 and steering the chase with an unbeaten 57 off just
52 balls, Patel officially stamped his name into a remarkably exclusive club in
Indian cricket history.
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| Image Credits: Cricinfo |
The statistical query for an Indian player scoring a
half-century (50+ runs) and snapping up a four-wicket haul (4+ wickets) in a
single away ODI yields a list of names that can be counted on one hand. Prior
to Patel’s heroics in Birmingham, only two Indian men had ever accomplished
this specific double in a match outside India: the legendary Sachin Tendulkar
against Australia in Dhaka back in 1998, and Hardik Pandya against England at
Old Trafford in 2022.
Patel’s induction into this elite fraternity was as dramatic
as it was historic. Coming into the attack as England mounted a dangerous
lower-order recovery through Joe Root and Liam Dawson, Patel struck decisively
at the death. He tore through the tail to become only the second Indian spinner
after Ravindra Jadeja to claim four wickets between overs 41 and 50 of an ODI
innings, restricting the hosts to 258.
He then walked out with the bat under immense pressure, with India teetering at 160/4 after early departures of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, alongside skipper Shubman Gill retiring hurt. Partnering seamlessly with Washington Sundar (52*), Patel mixed steady strike rotation with calculated aggression. Their unbroken 102-run partnership comfortably took India over the line. Walking away with the Player of the Match honors, Patel didn't just win a game; he sealed a permanent legacy alongside India's greatest all-round icons.
