All-rounder Naman Dhir had a dream debut, picking up three wickets with his off-spin to help India bowl out the West Indies for 171 in the first T20 International of the five-match series on Tuesday. Dhir finished with impressive figures of 3/31, while Kuldeep Yadav also scalped 2/33 to help India restrict the West Indies to a manageable total.Sent into bat, West Indies skipper Shai Hope started the innings in a flurry, smacking Mayank Yadav for four boundaries in the second over to set the tone.
The four boundaries forced skipper Shreyas Iyer to replace Mayank with Axar Patel in the third over. Arshdeep Singh got the first breakthrough for India, cleaning up Kamil Pooran with a pitched-up delivery. West Indies were dealt another blow in the sixth over when Shimron Hetmyer was run out while attempting an unnecessary single. It turned out to be a double blow for the West Indies as Axar cleaned up Rovman Powell in the same over with a pitched-up delivery after the right-hander went for a huge heave over square leg.
Sherfane Rutherford (56 off 34) gave the much-needed impetus to the West Indies innings, with the left-hander hitting Kuldeep Yadav for two sixes in the ninth over and then smashing Axar for two boundaries and a six in the 11th over. Hope, who played second fiddle after Rutherford’s arrival, departed in the 12th over after a well-crafted 52 off 37 balls. Kuldeep then trapped Roston Chase plumb in front as the West Indies slipped to 114/5 in 12.3 overs.
He was caught at deep midwicket by Axar off debutant Dhir’s bowling. After being clobbered over deep square leg for a six by Romario Shepherd, Dhir came back strongly to dismiss him, caught by Tilak Varma at the long-off boundary. Ishan Kishan then took a brilliant catch at deep midwicket off Kuldeep’s bowling to send Rutherford packing. Dhir picked up his third wicket in the form of Shamar Springer, who was caught by Axar at the boundary off a tossed-up delivery after hitting the previous ball for a six. Returning to the set-up after an injury lay-off, pacer Mayank looked ordinary as he was taken to task by the West Indies batters before claiming a wicket in the penultimate over, with Rutherford caught by Dhir at deep square leg. Axar completed the formalities for India by dismissing Akeal Hosein, who was caught by Ishan Kishan at the long-on boundary. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
