Deepak Chahar and bowlers disappoint, but Virat Kohli and KL Rahul pull off remarkable win against West Indies

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Virat Kohli and KL Rahul successfully led India’s challenge as the hosts went on to beat West Indies by six wickets in the fi rst T20 International match played in Hyderabad. Thanks to two remarkable half-centuries by Rahul and Kohli that India were able to chase an otherwise difficult target of 208 runs in 20 overs. KL Rahul took 40 balls to play the knock of 62 runs that included four huge sixes. Rahul also completed his 1,000 runs in T20 International matches.

Virat Kohli remained unbeaten at 94 runs with his knock including six sixes.

Earlier, poor fielding, expensive overs and dropped catches had led to West Indies piling up a huge total in the first T20 International match against India. The visitors set a target of 208 runs for Indians in 20 overs. Shimron Hetmyer was the pick of the batsmen for West Indies as he made 56 in just 41 balls. This was his maiden T20 International fifty.

Indians were pathetic in the field as they squandered several chances. In one over off Deepak Chahar, there were three dropped catches with two missed by Rohit Sharma while Washington Sundar failing to catch another one. Deepak Chahar was particularly expensive as he conceded 56 runs in his quota of four overs. He gave away 19 runs in just one over.

For West Indies, Evin Lewis made 40, while skipper Kieron Pollard made 37 in 19 balls. Hetmyer said that the wicket was ‘fantastic’ to bat on and his hard work in the nets had finally paid off.

West Indian innings included 15 huge sixes with Lewis, Hetmyer and Pollard hitting four sixes each.

For India, Yuzvendra Chahal took two wickets, while Chahar, Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja scalped one wicket each. When Chahal took the wickets of both Hetmyer and Pollard, one expected India to restrict West Indies to less than 200, but Jason Holder had other plans as he hit 24 including two sixes in just nine balls.

West Indian batting legend Brian Lara said that Indian bowlers needed to show responsible bowling but there wasn’t much to drive about their performance today.

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