Shreyas Iyer's maiden T20I hundred powers India to eight-wicket win over West Indies in Lucknow
Captain Shreyas Iyer hit an unbeaten 102 off 43 balls as India chased 172 with 32 balls to spare in the first of five T20Is against West Indies.
India's new T20I captain Shreyas Iyer hit his first century in the format on Tuesday. He made an unbeaten 102 off 43 balls as India beat West Indies by eight wickets in the first of five T20Is at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
West Indies were bowled out for 171 in 19.1 overs. India got there at 172 for 2 in 14.4 overs, with 32 balls left. Iyer was named player of the match, and India now lead the series 1-0. They had already won the three-match ODI series 2-1.
West Indies fade after a solid start
Captain Shai Hope made 52 at the top of the innings. Sherfane Rutherford gave West Indies the most momentum, hitting 56 off 34 balls and reaching his half-century in 31 deliveries. The tourists could not build on those two innings, though. Kamil Pooran made 12 before Arshdeep Singh bowled him. Shimron Hetmyer was run out for 5, Roston Chase made 5 and Rovman Powell was out for a duck.
India's bowlers kept taking wickets through the middle and late overs. Naman Dhir, who made his ODI debut earlier on this tour, was among the wicket-takers and removed Romario Shepherd. Kuldeep Yadav trapped Chase lbw and Axar Patel bowled Powell. Akeal Hosein hit some late runs, but West Indies were all out with five balls of their innings left unused.
Iyer takes charge of the chase
India lost two wickets in the powerplay. Abhishek Sharma hit 21 off 10 balls before he was caught at long-off off Chase. Sanju Samson made 11 before Hosein took a return catch. After that, West Indies did not get another wicket.
Iyer controlled the rest of the chase. He hit the ball cleanly all around the ground while Ishan Kishan kept the strike moving at the other end and finished unbeaten in the mid-30s. The two of them finished the game in the 15th over. It was a strong way for Iyer to open the series. He leads the T20 side on this tour, and Shubman Gill captained the ODI team.
Young squad, busy schedule
India have picked a young T20I squad for this series. Tilak Varma is vice-captain, and the group includes teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Mayank Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi. West Indies, captained by Hope in both formats, have a T20 squad that includes Hetmyer, Powell, Shepherd and Hosein.
The tour runs until 17 October and the matches come quickly. The second T20I is in Ranchi on Friday, 9 October. The third is in Indore on Sunday, 11 October, followed by Hyderabad on 14 October and Bengaluru on 17 October. Every game starts at 7pm in India, which is 9.30pm in Malaysia. Local cricket fans can watch them in the evening.
Key takeaways
- India beat West Indies by eight wickets with 32 balls to spare in the 1st T20I in Lucknow.
- Shreyas Iyer made an unbeaten 102 off 43 balls, his first T20I century, as captain.
- Sherfane Rutherford (56 off 34) and Shai Hope (52) top-scored as West Indies were bowled out for 171.
- India lead the five-match series 1-0 after winning the ODI series 2-1.
FAQ
When is the 2nd T20I between India and West Indies? It is on Friday, 9 October, at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi. It starts at 7pm IST, which is 9.30pm in Malaysia.
How many matches are in the T20I series? There are five. After Ranchi, the series goes to Indore (11 October), Hyderabad (14 October) and Bengaluru (17 October).
Who captains India in the T20Is? Shreyas Iyer captains the T20I side and Tilak Varma is his vice-captain. Shubman Gill led India in the ODIs.
Sources: ESPNcricinfo, Outlook India, CricketNews.com, Yahoo Sports