1st ODI: India pecked victory in a thriller

Cuttack: Rohit Sharma’s fighting 72 has guided India to a thrilling one-wicket win over West Indies in the first ODI.

Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja run a single © AFP

Chasing 212, the Indian top-order succumbed to Kemar Roach (3-46) and Andre Russell (2-29) before Sharma shepherded the lower order and putting on a crucial 83-run partnership with Ravindra Jadeja (38) and R Vinay Kumar making 18.

But with 11 needed, Sharma and Vinay Kumar both fell and it was left to Varun Aaron (6) and Umesh Yadav (6) to take India home.

Darren Sammy, Kieron Pollard and Anthony Martin were the other wicket-takers for the visitors.

India’s reply started aggressively before Parthiv Patel (12) fell in the fifth over with the score on 37 as he cut a wide Roach delivery straight to Martin at point.

Gautam Gambhir (4) fell in the same over as he slashed at an away-going bouncer and edged it straight to Denesh Ramdin behind the stumps.

Six runs later, India were 47 for 3 as Roach cleaned up Virat Kohli (3) and Russell uprooted Virender Sehwag’s (20) stumps with the score at 51.

Suresh Raina (5) also did not lost long as he was early into the drive off Russell and spooned a simple catch to Darren Bravo at mid-on to give West Indies control of the match.

But Sharma and Jadeja batted sensibly, looking for singles to rotate the strike and keep the scoreboard ticking over until they were well-set to look for boundaries.

Jadeja fell with 70 needed and R Ashwin (6) was run out to give West Indies the upper hand again with India 159 for 7, still 52 runs adrift.

Sharma and Vinay Kumar looked set to take India home before West Indies struck.

Sharma missed a flick off Martin and the ball crashed into the stumps after a deflection from the pads with India needing 11 of 29 balls.

Pressure got to Vinay Kumar in the next over as he found Roach at mid-off while trying to hit Darren Sammy over the in-field.

Aaron and Yadav played several dot balls as the target came down to nine off 12 but both struck a crucial boundary each off Sammy to seal the win.

Earlier, India elected to field and were in control of the proceeding as the visitors kept losing wickets regularly.

Darren Bravo top scored with 60 and eight other batsmen made double figures but Danza Hyatt’s 31 remained the second-highest score.

Six Indian bowlers shared the wickets with Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron claiming two and Vinay Kumar, Ashwin, Jadeja and Raina taking one each.

The second game of the five-match series will be played at Vishakhapatnam on Friday.

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