Left-arm spinners star as India beats West Indies by 5 wickets in the 1st one-day match
Published: 10:00 pm Jul 28, 2023
BRIDGETOWN, JULY 28
Left-arm spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja took seven wickets for 26 runs in 44 balls to lead India to a five-wicket win over the West Indies in the first one-day international on Thursday.
India reached the West Indies' total of 114 in the 23rd over. The home side was 88 for three but quickly collapsed when Yadav (4 wickets) and Jadeja (3) started their spells.
Ishan Kishan opened the batting and scored 52 to lead the run chase. Rohit Sharma (12 not out) batted at No. 7 and Virat Kohli was not even needed as the visitors reached the target with 163 balls to spare.
Sent in to bat, Shai Hope top-scored for the West Indies with 43.
'I never thought the pitch was going to play like that,' Sharma said. 'It was the team's need that we wanted to have a score in front of us but never thought the pitch would deteriorate like that. Never thought we'd lose five wickets but it was a good chance to give a chance to a lot of the guys who have just come in.'
The teams will play the second ODI on Saturday, also in Bridgetown, followed by the third and final ODI next Tuesday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad. The teams are also scheduled to play five T20 matches.
India won the preceding two-test series 1-0. The West Indies and India drew the second test at Queen's Park Oval after the fifth day was washed out and India had an innings win in Dominica.