Tarouba (Trinidad): An impressive collective performance from bowlers helped India restrict West Indies to 149/6 in the first T20I of the five-match series at Brian Lara Stadium, here on Thursday.
Captain Rovman Powell (48) and Nicolas Pooran (41) top-scored for West Indies as other batters couldn’t stay long on the crease. For India, Yuzvendra Chahal and Arshdeep Singh got two wickets each while skipper Hardik Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav claimed one wicket apiece.
After winning the toss and opting to bat first, West Indies started well with opener Brandon King going great in the first four overs before Chahal’s double strike dented hosts.
Chahal removed both openers Kyle Mayers and King in quick succession, reducing the host to 30/2 in five overs. Then, Pooran came and started off with a decent boundary followed by a massive six to take the power-play total to 54-2.
Kuldeep came into attack in the eighth over and got the wickets of Johnson Charles, who miscued the slog sweep and the ball was in the air for a long time. Debutant Tilak Verma ran across to his left from deep midwicket, sliding through to take a fine catch.
Indian bowlers managed to keep the host’s run rate in check as West Indies were 69/3 at the halfway mark. Afterward, Powell went for a couple of boundaries to add crucial runs to the board.
In the 14th over, Kuldeep bowled a skillful googly that created an opportunity to dismiss Powell, but unfortunately, the Windies captain survived as Shubman Gill dropped the catch. However, in the very next over, Pandya, who came to bowl in place of Chahal, managed to dismiss the well-set Pooran for 41.
Shimron Hetmyer then came and smashed a fantastic boundary and Powell finished the over with a maximum. With 11 runs coming off the 15th over, West Indies crossed the 100-run mark.
Powell went for a few big hits in the next two overs. Before, Arshdeep struck in the penultimate over and removed Hetmyer for 10. In the same over, he removed the dangerous-looking Powell for 48, denying him a fifty.
Mukesh started the final over well with four consecutive singles before conceding a no ball but he continued with his disciplined bowling as West Indies settled for 149/6 in 20 overs.
Brief scores: West Indies 149/6 in 20 overs ( Rovman Powell 48, Nicholas Pooran 41; Yuzvendra Chahal 2-24, Arshdeep Singh 2-31) against India.
(IANS)
