« Back to article | Print this article |
A patient 72 from Rohit Sharma helped India to a tense one-wicket victory over the West Indies in a low-scoring first one-day international at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Tuesday.
India's last wicket pair of Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav added 12 runs to take India past their target with seven balls to spare.
Man-of-the-match Sharma struck three boundaries and a six to launch India's fightback after the hosts were reduced to 59-5 chasing a 212-run target for victory.
He added 83 for the sixth wicket with left-hander Ravindra Jadeja (38) and another 42 runs for the eighth wicket with tailender R. Vinay Kumar (18) to anchor India's chase.
India's young bowling attack had earlier performed creditably and justified stand-in skipper Virender Sehwag's decision to field as it restricted the West Indies to 211 for nine.
The bowlers took wickets at regular intervals to unsettle the Windies' rhythm and the visitors never really took charge despite maintaining a decent run-rate for some part of the innings.
The West Indies were at one stage in danger of being bowled out for under 200, but a cameo from Andre Russell (22) towards the end lifted them to a modest total.
The Windies top-order looked reckless in shot selection as Vinay gave the first breakthrough, dismissing Barath, who looked in elegant touch before edging one behind.
Aaron began his spell with a bang when he castled a dangerous-looking Samuels who was beaten by a fast incoming delivery.
Yadav, the most impressive of the three, generated good pace and got his reward when he went through Simmons defence with a 144kph trailblazer. He had an impressive first spell that read 5-1-22-1.
Darren Bravo was the top-scorer with 60 (74b, 6x4) but the stylish left-hander could not convert his knock into a big one.
He was involved in a 75-run fourth-wicket partnership with Danza Hyatt (31 from 54 balls; 2x4, 1x6).
Bravo looked to rebuild the Windies innings with Hyatt but lack of sensible approach hurt the Windies' cause as they
kept losing wickets at regular intervals.
A poor coordination between the duo resulted in Hyatt's run out while Bravo, dropped twice -- on 27 and 59 -- eventually departed for 60 after being foxed by part-time off-spinner Raina.
Kemar Roach gave West Indies a spectacular start with the ball by picking the first three Indian wickets to fall.
The 23-year-old first had Parthiv Patel (12) caught by Anthony Martin at point in the first ball of his third over.
Three overs later, he had Gautam Gambhir (4) caught behind. And in his fourth over he rattled Virat Kohli's stumps.
The last dismissal helped him complete 50 ODI wickets, in his 32nd match.
Rohit Sharma was the lone Indian batsman to score a half century.
His 72 was his ninth ODI fifty.
Sharma's 99-ball knock was inclusive of three hits to the fence and one over it.
The 24-year-old also put on 83 runs for the sixth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja (38), the partnership helping India recover from a paltry 59 for five.