Captain Shreyas Iyer smashed his maiden T20I century as India chased down 172 with eight wickets in hand to crush the West Indies in the first T20I and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Iyer’s unbeaten 102 off 43 balls came after India had slipped to 35 for 2.
Brief scores: India (172/2) beat West Indies (171) by 8 wickets in the first T20I in Lucknow.
Captain Shreyas Iyer produced a stunning batting display on his return to the T20I spotlight, smashing his maiden century in the format as India brushed aside the West Indies by eight wickets in the first T20I on Tuesday.
Iyer’s unbeaten 102 off 43 balls turned a potentially tricky chase into a one-sided affair as India chased down 172 in 14.4 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. The result extended India’s winning run in T20Is to 10 matches and gave them a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.Iyer walked in during the third over with India 35 for 2, but there was little sign of panic from the India captain. He took his time to settle in on a surface that was not as easy to bat on as the pitches used during the ODI series before gradually taking the attack apart.
At the other end, Ishan Kishan provided solid support as the pair added an unbeaten 137 for the third wicket to put India firmly in control. Iyer brought up his hundred from just 42 balls, reaching the landmark with a straight six over long-on off Roston Chase.
It was Iyer’s first T20I century and the highest score of his career in the format, surpassing his previous best of 80 not out off 49 balls against England in Bristol earlier this year. He also became the fastest Indian batter to score a T20I hundred against the West Indies.
Iyer became only the third India captain to score a century in men’s T20Is, joining Rohit Sharma, who has three hundreds, and Suryakumar Yadav, who has one.
The crowd rose to its feet when Iyer reached the landmark. He raised his helmet and acknowledged the applause before receiving congratulations from Kishan, while a few West Indies players also walked up to acknowledge the innings.
The night had begun with another India player making an impact on debut. Naman Dhir picked up three wickets on his T20I debut, finishing with 3/31 from his four overs. Kuldeep Yadav took two wickets as India, after opting to bowl, restricted West Indies to 171.
The visitors had made a reasonable start but could not build enough momentum through the innings. Sherfane Rutherford, who top-scored for West Indies, said after the first innings that his side were around 20 runs short. India’s chase suggested they needed considerably more.
India were given an early scare when both openers departed inside the first four overs. Abhishek Sharma made 21 before Roston Chase dismissed him, with Shimron Hetmyer completing an excellent diving catch at long-off.
Sanju Samson followed an over later for 11, extending his difficult run since the Asian Games. He sliced a short delivery from Akeal Hosein back towards the bowler, who held on to the return catch.That brought Iyer and Kishan together with India on 35 for 2. From there, the chase changed completely.
Iyer initially played himself in before beginning to open up once he had settled. He found boundaries all around the ground and steadily put the West Indies bowlers under pressure.
A straight six over long-off off Shamar Springer in the 11th over was one of the cleanest shots of his innings. Iyer then took on Hosein, clearing long-off for six before finding the same region for four off the next delivery.
The India captain continued to find the boundary with remarkable ease before completing his century in emphatic fashion, sending Chase over long-on for a six.
Kishan, meanwhile, played the supporting role expertly and remained unbeaten on 37 as India completed the chase with 32 balls to spare.
NAMAN DHIR STARS ON T20I DEBUT
Earlier, debutant Naman Dhir produced a memorable first outing for India, claiming 3 for 31 with his off-spin as West Indies were bowled out for 171. Kuldeep Yadav picked up two wickets, while Axar Patel also played an important role as India recovered from an aggressive start by the visitors.Shai Hope came out attacking and smashed Mayank Yadav for four boundaries in the second over. Iyer responded by bringing Axar into the attack in the third over, and India soon began to make inroads.
Arshdeep Singh provided the first breakthrough when he bowled Kamil Pooran with a pitch-up delivery. West Indies then suffered another setback in the sixth over when Shimron Hetmyer was run out while attempting an unnecessary single.
Axar struck soon after, cleaning up Rovman Powell with a full delivery after the right-hander went for a big heave over square leg. West Indies were suddenly three wickets down and needed a partnership.
Rutherford provided it. The left-hander took on Kuldeep in the ninth over, hitting him for two sixes, before attacking Axar in the 11th over with two boundaries and a six. His 56 off 34 balls gave the West Indies innings some much-needed momentum.
Hope, who had played second fiddle after Rutherford’s arrival, reached his fifty before falling for 52 off 37 balls. He was caught by Axar at deep midwicket off Dhir in the 12th over.
Kuldeep then trapped Roston Chase lbw as West Indies slipped to 114 for 5 in 12.3 overs. Romario Shepherd briefly threatened to add some late runs when he hit Dhir for a six over deep square leg, but the debutant came back strongly to have him caught at long-off by Tilak Varma.
