West Indies, the team that could not even get past the initial stage of T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia humbled the new age Hardik Pandya-led India in the first T20I of the five-T20I series. Chasing a par target of 150, India faltered and presented the win on a platter as they lost the match by four runs. After a good bowling display to restrict West Indies to 149/6, the majority of Indian batters failed to put up a fight and fell short of a target they could have chased down with two or three overs to spare.
Balanced start
Earlier, Powell won the toss and opted to bat first. Brandon King attacked from one end whereas Kyle Mayers struggled. King used the fielding restrictions and hit boundaries. Mayers' stay at the crease was ended by Yuzvendra Chahal. The leg-spinner took Mayers' wicket off the first ball of his tour. Mayers went for a sweep shot and got out lbw. In the same over King was trapped in front of the stumps as well. The opener scored 28 runs from 19 balls including four fours and one six. In the same over, Pooran hit Chahal for a four and a six. Pooran punished Patel as well. He hit the left-arm spinner for a six and a four. West Indies had 54/2 on the board after powerplay overs.
Powell guides WI to fighting total
Kuldeep in his next over got the wicket of Johnson Charles as well. Charles went for the slog-sweep but Varma took an exceptional catch covering good ground from the deep. Pooran and Powell took their time to rebuild the innings. In the 15th over, Pooran's patience ran out. He got out after scoring 41 runs from 34 balls including two fours and as many sixes. In the same over, Powell got a reprieve as Chahal dropped his catch at extra cover. Powell followed it up with a maximum. Powell attacked in the slog overs. In the penultimate over, Arshdeep got rid of Shimron Hetmyer. Powell missed his half-century and got out for a 32-ball 48 which included three fours and as many sixes. No boundaries were scored in the final over despite a no ball as West Indies posted 149/6.
Poor start, Varma attacks
In the run chase, India got off to a slow start scoring just five runs from two overs. In the third over, Akeal Hosein got Shubman Gill stumped. He scored just three runs from nine balls. Suryakumar Yadav took the attacking route straightaway. In the fifth over, Ishan Kishan could not pick the cutter from Obed McCoy and got out after scoring just six runs. Varma hit two consecutive sixes off Alzarri Joseph to take India's score to 45/2 after powerplay overs. Varma continued to lead the charge whereas Suryakumar struggled. In the 10th over, he got caught by Hetmyer inside the 30-yard circle off Jason Hodler's bowling. He contributed with a run-a-ball 21. India were 70/3 at the halfway stage.
Two quick strikes spoil the run chase
Shepherd got the prized wicket of Varma in the next over. The debutant scored 39 runs from just 22 balls including two fours and three sixes. After 15 overs, India needed 37 runs from 30 overs. Then Pandya could not pick Hodler's off-cutter and got bowled. Next ball, Sanju Samson got run out trying to sneak a single. Boundaries dried up in the slog overs. In the 18th over, Patel broke the shackles with a six. India needed 21 runs off the last two overs. McCoy in the penultimate over got Patel's wicket. All seemed over but Arshdeep hit two consecutive fours. He brought the equation to 10 runs off six balls.
Too much to ask from tailenders
In the final over, Kuldeep played a hurried shot against Shepherd and got bowled. After much confusion about who is going to bat at no.10, Chahal walked out to bat and took a single. Arshdeep followed it up with a couple as he found the gap square of the wicket. Shepherd bowled a wide yorker and Arshdeep could not get bat on it. On the penultimate delivery, he flicked it to deep mid-wicket and got run out trying to take two runs. It was too daunting a task for Mukesh to pull off on his debut. He could take just a single while a six was needed off the final delivery. India managed 145/9 and lost the match by four runs.
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