1st T20I: Ton-up Shreyas Iyer helps India decimate West Indies
What's the story
Captain Shreyas Iyer hammered a sensational hundred as India recorded an eight-wicket win against the West Indies in the first T20I. Chasing 172 runs to win in Lucknow, India lost both their openers early on, However, a match-winning third-wicket partnership between Iyer and Ishan Kishan took the hosts home. Earlier in the day, WI were bowled out for 171 as Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford hammer fifties.
WI innings
Hope, Rutherford attack the Indian bowlers
Hope opened the innings aggressively, hitting five boundaries in two overs.
However, lack of support from the other end meant WI were reeling at 44/3.
Rutherford's arrival at number five marked the start of the rescue work.
He and Hope attacked the Indian spinners, adding 63 runs for the fourth wicket.
The latter was dismissed right after completing his fifty.
However, Rutherford continued the good work at one end and took the team past 170. He was the ninth batter to be dismissed.
Chase
Iyer's ton headlines the run chase
India's chase was not off to a fine start with both openers Sanju Samson (11) and Abhishek Sharma (21) going back within the first four overs.
However, Kishan then joined forces with Iyer and they formed a partnership that effectively ended the contest.
Despite losing two early wickets, Iyer didn't let the situation affect his game.
He took his time initially but started opening up once he was set, putting West Indies bowlers under increasing pressure with his ability to find boundaries without losing control.
Kishan supported him well as their 137-run stand saw India (172/2) prevail with 32 balls to spare.
Hope
Hope's maiden T20I fifty versus India
Hope hit six fours and two sixes in his 37-ball 52.
As per Cricinfo, the batter has now raced to 1,795 runs from 71 T20Is at an average of 30.42. This was his 13th fifty (100: 1).
203 of his runs have come in eight games against India at 27. This was his maiden fifty against them.
Rutherford
1,000 T20 runs loading for Rutherford
Rutherford's 34-ball 56* was laced with three sixes and six fours.
With this knock, the southpaw has raced to 958 runs from 57 T20I matches at an average of 25.21.
This was his seventh half-century and a maiden one against the Indians. He was out for 14 in his only previous outing against them.
Dhir
Dhir join these names
On his debut, Naman Dhir made a mark with his off-spin, taking 3/31 in four overs.
As per Cricbuzz, Dhir became just the third Indian spinner to trap at least three batters on T20I debut.
Notably, Dhir, who bowls off-spin, had just eight wickets across 61 T20 matches before his T20I debut.
This, however, includes a five-wicket haul.
Spells
Fine spells from the veterans
Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav also contributed with two wickets each.
The former finished with 2/26 from 3.2 overs, taking his T20I tally to 111 wickets at 21.88 (ER: 7.45).
Kuldeep's 2/33 from four overs has powered him to 97 wickets at a jaw-dropping average of 13.80 (ER: 6.98).
Iyer
Maiden T20I hundred for Iyer
Iyer scored an unbeaten 102 off just 43 balls with the help of 10 fours and six sixes.
Having accomplished the feat off 42 balls, Iyer became the fastest Indian to score a T20I hundred against West Indies.
He also became the third India captain to score a century in men's T20Is, joining Rohit Sharma (three) and Suryakumar Yadav (one).
This was his second T20 hundred across five innings at the Ekana Stadium (335 runs at a strike rate of 200.59).