KOLKATA, Nov 4: India registered a five wicket victory against the West Indies in their first T20 International here on Sunday.
Dinesh Karthik played a sensible unbeaten knock of 31 while debutant Krunal Pandya remained unbeaten on 21 to guide the hosts to victory.
Earlier, spinner Kuldeep Yadav led the Indian bowlers� fine show with three wickets to restrict West Indies to 109 for eight.
Electing to field on a dew-laden Eden Gardens, India responded well with the pacers giving them a fine start after Umesh Yadav dismissed Denesh Ramdin in the third over.
Debutant Khaleel Ahmed (1/16) and Jasprit Bumrah (1/27) ensured that the Windies run-rate dried up before the spin duo of Krunal (1/15) and Kuldeep made merry. Kuldeep (3/13) also completed 100 wickets in T20 cricket.
Tottering at 63 for seven inside 15 overs, the Windies looked to fold up inside 100 but Fabian Allen (27 from 20 balls) and Khary Pierre (15 not out from 13 balls) lifted the total past 100.
Debutant Krunal finished with excellent figures of 1/14 bowling his four overs at a stretch.
SCORECARD
West Indies: Shai Hope run out 14, Denesh Ramdin c Karthik b Umesh 2, Shimron Hetmyer c Karthik b Bumrah 10, Kieron Pollard c Pandey b Pandya 14, Darren Bravo c Dhawan b Kuldeep 5, Rovman Powell c Karthik b Kuldeep 4, Carlos Brathwaite lbw b Kuldeep 4, Fabian Allen c Umesh b Khaleel 27, Keemo Paul not out 15, Khary Pierre not out 9. Extras: (lb-2, w-3) 5. Total: (For 8 wickets in 20 overs) 109. Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-22, 3-28, 4-47, 5-49, 6-56, 7-63, 8-87. Bowling: U Yadav 4-0-36-1, Khaleel 4-1-16-1, Jasprit 4-0-27-1, Krunal 4-0-15-1, Kuldeep 4-0-13-3.
India: RG Sharma c Ramdin b Thomas 6, S Dhawan b Thomas 3, KL Rahul c Bravo b Brathwaite 16, RR Pant c Bravo b Brathwaite 1, MK Pandey c & b Pierre 19, KD Karthik not out 31, KH Pandya not out 21. Extras: (b 4, lb 5, w 4) 13. Total: (For 5 wickets in 17.5 overs) 110. Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-16, 3-35, 4-45, 5-83. Bowling: O Thomas 4-0-21-2, KMA Paul 3.5-0-30-0, CR Brathwaite 4-1-11-2, K Pierre 4-0-16-1, KA Pollard 1-0-12-0, FA Allen 1-0-11-0. � Agencies
