India ended a four-match winless run against the West Indies in T20Is with a five-wicket victory that came on the back of debutant Krunal Pandya’s flourish and Dinesh Karthik’s poise at the Eden Gardens on Sunday.
Local favourite in the Indian Premier League with Kolkata Knight Riders, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav (3/13) led the Indian bowlers’ fine show to restrict West Indies to 109/8 after stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma opted to to field on a dew-laden outfield.
But on a pitch that offered something for everyone, India responded well with the pacers giving them a fine start after Umesh Yadav dismissed Denesh Ramdin in the third over. Windies, much like India later, lost three wickets in the Powerplay.
Chasing 110, India were 45/4 in eight overs, leaving their fragile middle order exposed.
But another ‘local boy’ Karthik, the KKR captain, stayed calm in his 31 not out from 34 balls (3x4, 1x6) to steer India home with 13 balls to spare. Hardik’s brother, Krunal, hit the winning boundary off Keemo Paul in the 18th over. Krunal smashed 21 off nine balls.
Here are some statistical highlights from the first T20I as India take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series:
- This was India’s first win against the World T20 champions since 2014, spanning five matches.
- India were playing a T20I match at home without Mahendra Singh Dhoni for the first time.
India are playing a T20I at home without MS Dhoni for the first time.
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) November 4, 2018
India had played 31 home T20Is before today and MSD featured in each of them. #IndvWI
- India fielded two debutants in the match. Krunal’s debut meant a special night for Baroda cricket.
Krunal and Hardik Pandya - 2nd pair of siblings to appear in T20Is for India after Irfan and Yusuf Pathan.
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) November 4, 2018
Interestingly, both Pandya and Pathan siblings are from Baroda!#IndvWI
- Much like Hardik Pandya, Krunal picked up his first India wicket in the second over he bowled.
- India have a score to settle against West Indies:
India's last 13 bilateral T20I series (since 2016):
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) November 4, 2018
Won 10
Draw 1
Lost 2 - both losses came against WI (in USA, 2016 & in WI, 2017)#INDvWI
- West Indies struggled after being asked to bat first and were eventually dismissed for their lowest first innings total against India. It was West Indies’ fourth lowest T20I score batting first.
It is the first time West Indies have lost four wickets inside first 10 overs against India in T20Is. #IndvWI
— ESPNcricinfo stats (@ESPNcric_stats) November 4, 2018
Three days ago at Trivandrum, the Windies recorded their lowest ODI total against India - 104 (31.5 overs)
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) November 4, 2018
Tonight the Windies made their lowest T20I total (109/8) against India!#IndvWI
- It was a match to remember so far for India’s latest debutants:
Khaleel Ahmed: 4-1-16-1
Krunal Pandya: 4-0-15-1
200+ strike-rate & Economy < 4 in the same T20I:
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) November 4, 2018
Abdul Razzaq v NZ, 2010
Shahid Afridi v ENG, 2015
KRUNAL PANDYA v WI, Today#INDvWI
- Kuldeep Yadav became the fastest to 100 T20I wickets for India (74 innings)
Kuldeep Yadav completed 100 Twenty20 wickets in 75 matches; the joint-fewest to 100 T20 wickets among Indian players. Amit Mishra also needed 75 matches for 100 T20 wickets. #INDvWI
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) November 4, 2018
- Oshane Thomas has played three times on this India tour and he has now dismissed Shikhar Dhawan (bowled) all three times.
- Carlos Brathwaite’s economy of 2.75 was the best by a Windies fast bowler in a four-over spell in T20Is.
Windies' last seven T20Is in Asia:
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) November 4, 2018
L, L, L, L, L, L, L
Their last win in Asia in T20Is came against England at Kolkata in World T20 2016 final match.#INDvWI
Most wins in first ten T20Is as captain:
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) November 4, 2018
9 Rohit Sharma *
8 Shoaib Malik/ M Clarke/ Asghar Afghan/ Sarfraz Ahmed
David Warner has eight wins in nine T20Is as skipper.#INDvWI
With PTI inputs