Kolkata, Feb 16 (UNI): An all-round India defeated West Indies by six wickets in the first T20 International here at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday.
India got off to a flying start while chasing a moderate 158-run target. Skipper Rohit Sharma smashed four boundaries and three maximums in his 19-ball 40, while Ishan Kishan played the second fiddle in their 64-run opening stand.
Roston Chase finally got the much-needed breakthrough as Rohit holed out in the deep. The off-spinner again struck for West Indies and dismissed Kishan (35), who was caught at deep mid-wicket.
Former India captain Virat Kohli, who is enduring a lean patch, walked back for 17 as the right-hander gave a straight catch to Kieron Pollard at long-off off Fabian Allen. Sheldon Cottrell demonstrated his ‘salute celebration’ after removing Rishabh Pant, India vice-captain for the series.
Pant (8) offered a very simple catch at short fine region, leaving India at 114/4. Suryakumar Yadav (34 not out off 18 balls) and Venkatesh Iyer (24 not out off 13 balls) took on West Indies bowlers and comfortably took India home.
Earlier, Nicholas Pooran’s 61 off 43 helped West Indies to post 157/7 after being put into bat. West Indies suffered an early blow, losing opener Brandon King (4) in the first over of the match off pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Pooran and Kyle Mayers recovered West Indies in no time with their back-to-back boundaries.
Yuzvendra Chahal created an opportunity, luring Pooran to loft over long-on. Debutant Ravi Bishnoi caught the West Indian but his foot touched the rope while he was moving back and this resulted in a maximum for Pooran.
Chahal eventually picked his first wicket in the same over as the leg-spinner trapped Mayers leg-before for 31.
Chahal and Harshal Patel dried up runs in the next couple of overs before Bishnoi struck twice in the 11th over. While Roston Chase (4), who was visibly struggling, got plumbed, Rovman Powell holed out to long-on for 2.
Chahal conceded 17 runs, including a boundary and a maximum by Pooran, in the 17th over. Patel finally got the better of Pooran (61), who gave a straight catch into Kohli’s hands at long-off.
Towards the end, Pollard (24 not out) and Odean Smith (4) added 22 runs. Patel bagged his second wicket on the last ball of the first innings as Rohit ran to his right at mid-on to dismiss Smith.
Brief scores: West Indies 157/7 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 61; Ravi Bishnoi 2/17, Harshal Patel 2/37) lost to India 162/4 in 18.5 overs (Rohit Sharma 40, Ishan Kishan 35; Roston Chase 2/14) by 6 wickets.
