Shreyas Iyer scripted history on Wednesday, becoming the first Indian captain to score a fifty in T20Is in England. The newly-appointed skipper reached the landmark in the 15th over, bringing up his ninth
T20I half-century with a single off Liam Dawson.
Iyer went on to score 68 off 47 balls before being trapped lbw by Saqib Mahmood in the 18th over. The 31-year-old surpassed Virat Kohli’s previous highest score of 47 by an Indian captain in England, set in Cardiff in 2018. He reached his fifty off 39 balls, marking his slowest half-century in the format.
Highest T20I Score By An Indian Captain In England
| 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 |
Former Australian skipper Steve Smith holds the record for the highest score registered by a captain in England. His 53-ball 90, scored in 2015 in Cardiff, tops the chart, followed by Chris Gayle’s 88 off 50 in 2009 at the Oval.
Highest T20I Score By A Captain In England
| 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 |
Shreyas Iyer walked in under pressure after India lost early wickets and responded with a composed 68 off 47 balls, anchoring the innings with authority. He focused on rotating strike and building partnerships, allowing the innings to recover from a shaky start.
First half-century as the Captain of the team 🫡@ShreyasIyer15 gets to his 9th T20I 50 off 38 deliveries.
Live – https://t.co/Ao0L327zel | #TeamIndia #ENGvIND #1stT20I pic.twitter.com/krm9501hpx
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 1, 2026
His ninth T20I fifty, first as captain, came off 38 balls and reflected a controlled approach rather than outright aggression. Iyer picked his moments to attack, striking a firm pull off Adil Rashid and later lofting Luke Wood over extra cover for six. Just as he looked set for a bigger score, he was trapped lbw by Saqib Mahmood in the 18th over.
India’s innings had earlier been jolted by the quick dismissals of Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan, the latter run out after a mix-up. However, Abhishek Sharma turned the momentum with a blistering 59, racing to a 20-ball fifty and adding 82 runs with Iyer for the third wicket. His aggressive strokeplay against pace laid the platform for a strong total.
In the final phase, Shivam Dube provided the finishing touch with an unbeaten 42 off 21 balls, ensuring India reached 189 for seven. For England, Mahmood stood out with 3 for 33, emerging as the most effective bowler despite the challenging conditions.
(With PTI Inputs)
