India win 1st ODI against West Indies
India | 465 VIEWS | June 26, 2009 at 8:48 pm
India survived some hiccups after having posted 339/6 in their inning to finally overcome the West Indian challenge at Kingston in Jamaica, and win the game by a slender margin of 20 runs to go 1-0 up in the four match series.
Team India batted first after M.S.Dhoni won the toss and got off to the worst possible start with the wickets of Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir; both to short deliveries. However, Dinesh Karthik and Yuvraj Singh were involved in a 135 run stand for the third wicket that brought India back into the game. Karthik departed for 67(77), but Yuvraj Singh kept smashing the bowlers away. The batting powerplay cost 62 runs, as Yuvi scored 131 off 102 deliveries, while India got to 339 in their 50.
Dhoni scraped through for a 41, while Pathan hit a 38-ball 40 as India set a target of 340 for the West Indians.
West Indies began scoring well, with Chris Gayle scoring most of the runs, but once he was dismissed by Ashish Nehra, Runako Morton took over. He hit a 42 in 51 deliveries and was looking good in his comeback game when he was given out caught behind down the leg-side, when it looked like it had come off the thigh pad. Ramanaresh Sarwan and Shiv Chanderpaul were involved in a Karthik-Yuvi-like stand, but Sarwan committed suicide by getting run-out attempting a suicidal second run.
Chanderpaul did play a beautiful and a very unlikely inning of 63 that included three sixes, but his dismissal ended any hopes that West Indies had in the game. In the end, David Bernard and Dinesh Ramdin did their best together in a rearguard action, but the score of 340 was too much to chase for the lower order. Ramdin soldiered on manfully, bringing the West Indians to within 21 runs needed off two overs, but Nehra spoilt their chances with a three-wicket haul; including the scalp of Ramdin.
Yuvraj was rightly declared the man-of-the-match, as India went up 1-0 in the four match series.
Presentation Ceremony:
Yuvraj: First 20 balls I was struggling. As I got going, I got the momentum, played a few shots. It’s a bit different when you play 50-over cricket, hopefully we’ll get used to it when you play a few more games.
Yuvraj Singh is the Man of the Match for his knock of 131 off 102 balls.
Dhoni: Most of the guys thought we’d won when they were 7-down, that’s the mistake we made. He (Yuvraj) has proved himself, everytime we need him, he scores his runs.
Gayle: I thought it was a good game. Looking forward to Sunday and hoping to square the series. It was a good effort.
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[...] Team India batted first after M.S.Dhoni won the toss and got off to the worst possible start with the wickets of Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir; both to short deliveries. However, Dinesh Karthik and Yuvraj Singh were involved in a 135 run stand for the third wicket that brought India back into the game. Karthik departed for 67(77), but Yuvraj Singh kept smashing the bowlers away. The batting powerplay cost 62 runs, as Yuvi scored 131 off 102 deliveries, whileRead more at http://www.cricfever.com/india-win-1st-odi-against-west-indies/ [...]