India braved a rare top-order batting collapse while chasing a below-par target of 110 runs, but Dinesh Karthik and debutant Krunal Pandya posted a 27-run stand for the 6th wicket to beat the World Champions Windies by five wickets with 13 balls to spare at Eden Gardens on Sunday.
The Windies bowled well, especially skipper Carlos Brathwaite but their total was too small to defend. Sent into bat, West Indies were restricted to 109 for eight and India chased down the target of 110 in 17.5 overs with Karthik and Pandya scoring unbeaten 31 and 21 runs respectively.
Kuldeep Yadav, who broke the Windies spine with figures of 3/13 won the man of the match award. India lead the three-match series 1-0.
The second match is scheduled to be played at Lucknow on Tuesday (November 6).
Brief scores:
West Indies: 109/8 in 20 overs (Fabian Allen 27; Kuldeep Yadav 3/13)
India: 110/5 in 17.5 overs (Dinesh Karthik not out 31, Krunal Pandya not out 21; Carlos Brathwaite 2/11, Oshane Thomas 2/21).
India Innings; Target 110
Over 17.5 || Score 110/5 (Dinesh Karthik 31; Krunal Pandya 21)
Keemo Paul on as India need ten runs from the last three overs. Two singles, then a double as Krunal Pandya played towards fine leg. Another four for the debutant, beating the fielder at deep square leg. Then, a double to extra cover for a nervy win.
Over 17 || Score 100/5 (Dinesh Karthik 30; Krunal Pandya 12)
Six runs from the 17th over, bowled by Khary Pierre. The youngster's figures read: 4-0-16-1.
Krunal Pandya hit his second four of the match, a delicate dab behind the wicket.
Over 16 || Score 94/5 (Dinesh Karthik 29; Krunal Pandya 7)
11 crucial runs for India as Krunal Pandya hit the last ball of Fabian Allen's first over. There were three singles and two doubles from the previous five balls.
Over 15 || Score 83/5 (Dinesh Karthik 25; Krunal Pandya 0)
Manish Pandey departed after a long vigil with Dinesh Karthik. Caught and bowled for Khary Pierre.
Wicket: Manish Pandey c and b Khary Pierre 19(24); 83/5 (14.6 Over)
Three runs and a wicket from the over. Debutant Krunal Pandya is the new man for India.
Over 14 || Score 80/4 (Manish Pandey 18; Dinesh Karthik 23)
India need another 30 runs.
Carlos Brathwaite conceded seven runs from his last over for figures of 4-1-11-2.
After a good start to the over, a single from the first four deliveries, then Manish Pandey hit a four off the fifth ball.
Over 13 || Score 73/4 (Manish Pandey 12; Dinesh Karthik 22)
Four runs from the 13th over as India slowly inched closer to the target. Two singles and a double. Khary Pierre's figures so far: 2-0-7-0.
Over 12 || Score 69/4 (Manish Pandey 9; Dinesh Karthik 21)
After a long time, a good over for India. Kieron Pollard leaked 12 runs from his first over. Dinesh Karthik hit three fours, off the first, fifth and sixth deliveries.
Over 11 || Score 57/4 (Manish Pandey 9; Dinesh Karthik 9)
Spinner Khary Pierre started his international career with a three-run over. Dinesh Karthik took a single off the first ball, then a dot ball. Manish Pandey took another single off the third ball. Two more dot balls, then Karthik added another single to the total.
Over 10 || Score 54/4 (Manish Pandey 8; Dinesh Karthik 7)
Another brilliant over from the Windies captain. Two singles and there was almost a run out off the last ball.
Over 9 || Score 52/4 (Manish Pandey 7; Dinesh Karthik 6)
Dinesh Karthik hit the innings' first six, top-edge off the fifth ball. Seven runs from the over and India crossed the half-century mark.
Oshane Thomas completed his spell, for figures of 4-0-21-2.
Over 8 || Score 45/4 (Manish Pandey 6; Dinesh Karthik 0)
A wicket maiden from the Windies captain Carlos Brathwaite. India in trouble. Lokesh Rahul failed to control his shot, and Darren Bravo took the catch at deep square leg.
Wicket: Lokesh Rahul c Darren Bravo b Carlos Brathwaite 16(22); 45/4 (7.3 Over)
Brathwaite's figures so far: 2-1-2-2. Dinesh Karthik is the new man for India.
Over 7 || Score 45/3 (KL Rahul 16; Manish Pandey 6)
Good over for India. 10 runs from Keemo Paul's third over. Three singles off the first three balls, then a wide. Manish Pandey hit the fourth legal delivery for a four. Two more singles followed.
Over 6 || Score 35/3 (KL Rahul 13; Manish Pandey 0)
Rishasb Pant wasted another opportunity. He lasted only four balls and got out going for the glory. A top-edge, caught by Darren Bravo. Wicket to the Windies captain.
Wicket: Rishabh Pant c Darren Bravo b Carlos Brathwaite 1(4); Fall of wicket: 35/3 (5.4 over)
Three runs and a wicket from the over. Manish Pandey is the new man for India.
Over 5 || Score 32/2 (KL Rahul 13; Rishabh Pant 0)
10 runs from the over Oshane Thomas' third over with Lokesh Rahul hitting successive fours off the last two balls.
Over 4 || Score 22/2 (KL Rahul 7; Rishabh Pant 0)
One quite period of play. Lokesh Rahul faced all six delivers from Keemo Paul, scoring six runs, which included a four off the second ball.
India need another 88 runs.
Over 3 || Score 16/2 (KL Rahul 2; Rishabh Pant 0)
Oshane Thomas removed Shikhar Dhawan, bowled! Second for the Windies pacer.
Wicket: Shikhar Dhawan b Oshane Thomas 3(8); Fall of Wicket: 16/2 (2.5 Over)
Six runs and a wicket from the over. Rishabh Pant is the new man for India.
Over 2 || Score 11/1 (Shikhar Dhawan 3; KL Rahul 1)
Four runs from the second over, bowled by Keemo Paul. India need another 99 runs to win. Shikhar Dhawan faced the first four balls, scoring a double and a single off the second and fourth deliveries. Lokesh Rahul scored a single off the last ball after blocking the fifth.
Over 1 || Score 7/1 (Shikhar Dhawan 0; KL Rahul 0)
Rohit Sharma faced the first delivery from Oshane Thomas and took a double, then a dot ball. The India captain hit the third ball for a four, over the cover fielder. A dot and a wide, then the big wicket. Caught behind. Umpire was unmoved when the Windies shouted for the wicket, but it was reversed after the review.
Wicket: Rohit Sharma c Denesh Ramdin b Oshane Thomas 6(6); Fall of wicket: 7/1 (0.6 Over)
Lokesh Rahul is the new man for India.
West Indies Innings
This is Windies' lowest total against India in T20Is. And the windies, known for their six-hitting abilities, only managed one.
Spinner Kuldeep Yadav led the Indian bowlers' fine show with three wickets to restrict West Indies to 109 for eight. Electing to field on a dew-laden Eden Gardens, India responded well with the pacers giving them a fine start after Umesh Yadav dismissed Denesh Ramdin in the third over.
Debutant Khaleel Ahmed (1/16) and Jasprit Bumrah (1/27) ensured that the Windies run-rate dried up before the spin duo of Krunal Pandya (1/15) and Kuldeep made merry. Kuldeep (3/13) also completed 100 wickets in T20 cricket.
Tottering at 63 for seven inside 15 overs, the Windies looked to fold up inside 100 but Fabian Allen (27 from 20 balls) and Khary Pierre (15 not out from 13 balls) lifted the total past 100.
Debutant Krunal finished with excellent figures of 1/14 bowling his four overs at a stretch.
Over 20 || Score 109/8 (Keemo Paul 15; Khary Pierre 9)
Six runs from the last over as Jasprit Bumrah showed his class once again. A single off the first ball, to Khary Pierre. Then two dot balls. Keemo Paul took a single off the fourth ball, then a dot ball. Pierre hit a four to end the over and innings with a four.
Bumrah's figures: 4-0-27-1.
Paul and Pierre added 22 runs from 12 balls as the Windies got to a fighting total after a disastrous start. In the last four overs, they scored 39 runs losing one wicket.
Over 19 || Score 103/8 (Keemo Paul 14; Khary Pierre 4)
16 from the penultimate over. Umesh Yadav's figures read 4-0-36-1. Keemo Paul took a single off the first ball, then Khary Pierre hit the second ball for a four. It was followed by a leg bye, then a couple. Paul then hit back-to-back fours.
And with that, the Windies have crossed the 100-run mark.
Over 18 || Score 87/8 (Keemo Paul 3; Khary Pierre 0)
Khaleel Ahmed got his maiden T20I wicket off the last ball of his spell today. Umesh Yadav took the catch.
Wicket: Fabian Allen c Umesh Yadav b Khaleel Ahmed 27(20); Fall of wicket: 87/8 (17.6)
Six runs and a wicket from the over. Khaleel's figures: 4-1-16-1. Another debutant Khary Pierre is the new man for the Windies.
Over 17 || Score 81/7 (Fabian Allen 22; Keemo Paul 2)
Good over for the Windies with Fabian Allen adding crucial runs to their total. The over started with a four. It was followed by a couple, then a three. Two more singles from the last two balls. Jasprit Bumrah's figures: 3-0-21-1.
Over 16 || Score 70/7 (Fabian Allen 12; Keemo Paul 1)
Umesh Yadav returned for his third over. Conceded seven runs. The over started with a four as Fabian Allen getting a four.
Over 15 || Score 63/7 (Fabian Allen 6; Keemo Paul 0)
Kuldeep Yadav got his third of the day. Trapped the Windies captain in front with his fifth ball.
Wicket: Carlos Brathwaite lbw b Kuldeep Yadav 4(11); Fall of wickets: 63/7 (14.5 over)
The very next ball, India wasted a review, for another LBW against the new man Keemo Paul.
Over 14 || Score 58/6 (Fabian Allen 1; Carlos Braithwaite 4)
Krunal Pandya completed his spell for figures of 4-0-15-1. He conceded two runs from his last over.
Over 13 || Score 56/6 (Carlos Brathwaite 3; Fabian Allen 0)
Kuldeep Yadav got the wicket of Rovman Powell again. Caught behind off the third ball of the over. A contentious decision from the umpire. Could have easily overturned the decision.
Wicket: Rovman Powell c Dinesh Karthik b Kuldeep Yadav 4(13); Fall of wickets: 56/6 (12.3 over)
Two runs and a wicket from the over. Fabian Allen is the new man.
Over 12 || Score 54/5 (Rovman Powell 2; Carlos Brathwaite 3)
One tidy over from Krunal Pandya. Only a single off the last ball. Rovman Powell failed to score from the first balls. but managed to take a single.
Over 11 || Score 53/5 (Carlos Brathwaite 3; Rovman Powell 2)
Kuldeep Yadav got his first wicket, thanks to a good catch from Shikhar Dhawan at long-on.
Wicket: Darren Bravo c Dhawan b Kuldeep Yadav 5(10); Fall of wickets: 49/5 (10.1 over)
Four runs and a wicket from the over. The Windies captain Carlos Brathwaite is the new man. fo
Over 10 || Score 49/5 (Darren Bravo 5; Rovman Powell 1)
Krunal Pandya got his first wicket. Dismissed Kieran Pollard, caught by Manish Pandey at long on.
Wicket: Kieran Pollard c Manish Pandey b Krunal Pandya 14(26); Fall of wickets: 47/4 (9.2 over)
Two runs from the over. Rovman Powell is the new man.
Over 9 || Score 47/3 (Kieron Pollard 14; Darren Bravo 4)
Good start from Kuldeep Yadav. The chinaman bowler leaked only three runs, all singles to continue to frustrate the Windies.
Over 8 || Score 44/3 (Kieron Pollard 12; Darren Bravo 3)
Debutant Krunal Pandya conceded 10 runs from his first over. Kieran Pollard hit the third delivery for a six over long-on.
Over 7 || Score 34/3 (Kieron Pollard 5; Darren Bravo 2)
Jasprit Bumrah returned for second over and leaked only three runs even as Kieran Pollard and Darren Bravo look to start afresh. In the previous over, Khaleel Ahmed conceded only two runs.
Over 5 || Score 29/3 (Kieron Pollard 2; Darren Bravo 0)
Jasprit Bumrah struck in his first over. Shimron Hetmyer. The in-form Windies captain got a massive top edge. Dinesh Karthik completed the catch.
Wicket: Shimron Hetmyer c Dinesh Karthik b Jasprit Bumrah 10(7); Fall of wickets: 28/3 (4.4 over)
Seven runs and a wicket from the over. Darren Bravo is the new man.
Over 4 || Score 22/2 (Shimron Hetmyer 5; Kieron Pollard 0)
Shai Hope, who's looking in great touch, departed after making 14 runs thanks to a run out. Comedy of errors. Both the Windies batsmen were caught running towards the same end.
Wicket: Shai Hope run out 14(10); Fall of wickets: 22/2 (3.1 over)
Kieron Pollard in the new man for the windies.
Maiden over for Khaleel.
Over 3 || Score 22/1 (Shai Hope 14; Shimron Hetmyer 5)
Umesh Yadav got the wicket of Denesh Ramdin, off the second ball.
Wicket: Denesh Ramdin c Dinesh Karthik b Umesh Yadav 2(5); Fall of wickets: 16/1 (2.1 over)
New man Shimron Hetmyer hit the second ball he faced for a four. Six runs and a wicket from the over.
Over 2 || Score 16/0 (Shai Hope 13; Denesh Ramdin 2)
Another eight runs. Khaleel Ahmed started his spell with control and precision but ended up leaking eight runs with Shai Hope hitting the last ball for a four.
Over 1 || Score 8/0 (Shai Hope 8; Denesh Ramdin 0)
Umesh Yadav opened the proceedings. A dot ball, then the first boundary of the day, thanks to debutant Krunal Pandya's poor handling of the ball after it was middled by Shain Hope. A couple of dot balls, then a four. A dot to end the eight-run over.
TOSS
Rohit Sharma won the toss, and India will bowl first.
A host of debutants in the match. Krunal Pandya is making his India debut, while Khaleel Ahmed is playing his first T20I match.
Windies handed T20I debuts to Oshane Thomas, Fabian Allen, Khari Pierre. Thomas and Allen have featured in the ODIs, but Pierre is getting his first cap today.
India: Rohit Sharma(c), Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik(w), Krunal Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, K Khaleel Ahmed, Umesh Yadav
Windies: Rovman Powell, Darren Bravo, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer, Denesh Ramdin(w), Kieron Pollard, Carlos Brathwaite(c), Keemo Paul, Fabian Allen, Khary Pierre, Oshane Thomas
Last time India beat the West Indies in the shortest format of the game was way back in 2014, in a World Twenty20 match at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur. Since then, India have lost another three in four meetings, with one match ending a no result thanks to the rain.
In absence of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma is leading the team in the three-match series. Wins in the Test and ODI series will give India confidence. But the Windies are an altogether different team when it comes to T20Is.
They are the reigning World champions. Despite bringing a relatively inexperienced team, the Windies can still challenge the Indians.
Squads:
India XII: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Dinesh Karthik, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (wk), Krunal Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, K Khaleel Ahmed.
West Indies: Carlos Brathwaite (c), Fabian Allen, Darren Bravo, Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Oshane Thomas, Khary Pierre, Obed McCoy, Rovman Powell, Nicholas Pooran.
Welcome to our live coverage of the first T20I match between India and the West Indies being played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
