Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 6 (ANI): Half-centuries from skipper Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford guided West Indies to 171 in the first T20I against India being played at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium on Tuesday.
From 107/3, West Indies collapsed to 135/8 due to spells from Naman Dhir (three wickets) and Kuldeep Yadav (two wickets), but Sherfane (56 in 34 balls, with six fours and three sixes) and a cameo from Akeal Hosein (15 in nine balls) took WI to a solid total of 171 in 19.1 overs.
Put to bat first, Shai Hope started fiercely, getting five boundaries within the first two overs, including four against Mayank Yadav in the second over.
Arshdeep Singh’s left-arm pace managed to remove Kamil Pooran for 11-ball 12, with two fours, with West Indies at 38/1 in 4.3 overs. In the next over, Shimron Hetmyer was run out by skipper Shreyas Iyer and Sanju Samson for just five runs, with WI at 44/2. A couple of balls later, Axar Patel cleaned up Rovman Powell’s stumps for a three-ball duck, reducing WI to 44/3 at the end of six overs.
A four from Sherfane Rutherford helped WI reach the 50-run mark in 6.5 overs.
Sherfane and skipper Hope continued to pick big runs against spin, including a six each against Kuldeep Yadav in the ninth over. At the end of 10 overs, WI was 82/3, with Hope (41*) and Rutherford (18*) unbeaten.
In the 11th over, Axar was punished by Rutherford, with the WI batter smashing him for two fours and a six. WI reached their 100-run mark in 10.5 overs and the Sherfane-Hope completing a fifty-run stand in 30 balls.
Hope smashed Naman Dhir over long-on, reaching his 13th T20I fifty in 36 balls, with six fours and two sixes. However, on the very next ball, Naman got his first T20I wicket, with Hope holing it to the deep-midwicket in the hands of Axar. WI was 107/4 in 11.4 overs.
Indian spinners took control as Roston Chase fell to Kuldeep in the 13th over, with Romario Shepherd becoming Naman’s second victim for a five-ball seven in the next over, and Kuldeep keeping the wicket streak going with a wicket of Matthew Forde (2) in the next. WI was suddenly in a massive spot of bother at 124/7 in 14.1 overs.
Naman continued his fine run, getting Shamar Springer for just nine in the 16th over, reducing WI to 135/8 and getting his third wicket.
Sherfane got a couple of boundaries against Mayank, while both also attacked Arshdeep Singh with a six and a four, bringing WI’s 150-run mark in 17.4 overs. Sherfane reached a 31-ball fifty, with six fours and two sixes.
Mayank broke the budding 36-run stand, getting Sherfane caught by Naman at deep mid-wicket for 34-ball 56, with six fours and three sixes. WI was 171/9 in 19 overs. Axar finished the innings with a wicket of Akeal for a nine-ball 15, skittling out WI for 171 in 19.1 overs.
Naman (3/31 in four overs) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/33) were the pick of the bowlers for India, while Axar Patel, Mayank and Arshdeep got a wicket each. (ANI)
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