NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India overcame a mid-innings blip to beat West Indies by six wickets in the first Twenty20 International on Wednesday to stretch the tourists’ winless streak.
Chasing 158 for victory, the hosts, who swept the preceding one-day series 3-0, got off to a flying start before West Indies made a brief comeback in the contest.
Suryakumar Yadav and Venkatesh Iyer turned the match back in the hosts’ favour with 48 runs in 4.2 overs to help India home with seven balls to spare at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.
“I badly wanted to finish the game and I’m really happy to finish the game and stay not out,” Yadav said after making an unbeaten 34.
“After 10-12 overs, there was heavy dew and it was difficult for them to grip the ball.”
West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard returned from a knee injury but they managed a modest 157-7 after being put into bat.
After Brandon King fell in the first over, Kyle Mayers made 31 but it was Nicholas Pooran’s 43-ball 61, which included five sixes, that took West Indies close to the 150-mark.
Debutant leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi claimed Roston Chase and Rovman Powell in the same over and Harshal Patel (2-37) dismissed Pooran in the 18th over to hurt West Indies.
Pollard made a breezy 24 not out but West Indies still fell short of the 175-mark.
Captain Rohit Sharma led by example when India began their chase, welcoming bowler Odean Smith with two sixes and as many fours in a 22-run over.
Rohit fell after a 19-ball 40, caught trying to clear the midwicket boundary off Chase.
West Indies attempted a comeback after Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant fell in quick succession but Yadav and Iyer played sensibly to frustrate them.
Iyer remained unbeaten on 24, sealing the victory with a six off Fabian Allen.
Kolkata also hosts the next two matches on Friday and Sunday.
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Toby Davis)
