Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 27 (SocialNews.XYZ) Justin Greaves struck a fluent 101 off 108 balls, including hitting 12 boundaries, while John Campbell and Amir Jangoo smashed fifties. But India wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav's four-wicket haul pegged West Indies as they posted 295/7 in the first ODI against India at the Greenfield International Stadium here on Sunday.
Put to bat first in stifling heat and humid conditions, the West Indies got off to a flying start as Greaves, who notched up his maiden ODI century, and John Campbell, who hit 62 off 60 balls with six fours and three sixes raced to 85 without loss in the powerplay. It was a phase where India's seamers struggled for control, and raised concerns over the efficiency of back-up pace bowling options.
Greaves was particularly severe on India's pacers - making 56 off 55 balls against them, with 10 fours. The spinners kept him on a tighter leash, as Greaves made 44 runs off 53 balls and hit only two boundaries. At one point 300 looked a formality for the West Indies to post, but Kuldeep ripped through the middle order with his immaculate control and ripper googly to get the momentum back for India, who conceded runs at 4.27 per over from overs 11-40.
It took Jangoo's unbeaten 58 off 43 balls, his second ODI fifty, to push the visitors close to the 300-run mark, though they fell five runs short. Prasidh Krishna finished with 2-60, and India's strong batting line-up will now fancy its chances of chasing the target.
After India elected to bowl first, Prasidh conceded just one run in the opening over, but Nitish Kumar Reddy's first over cost 18 runs, as Greaves creamed a no-ball through extra cover, flicked the free hit through midwicket, before whipping and cover-driving to make it four boundaries in the over.
Gurnoor Brar nearly struck in the fourth over when Greaves edged a drive towards wide slip, but Rohit Sharma could only get his fingertips to it at full stretch. Even as John Campbell kept himself steady by hitting a few boundaries, Greaves hit Prasidh for three fours in the seventh over, with a backfoot punch through cover point being the standout.
Campbell went after Ravindra Jadeja as soon as India introduced spin from the ninth over - top-edging a sweep for four and hitting two sixes over long-on, as the West Indies ended the mandatory power-play with 85/0.
Though Jadeja and debutant batting all-rounder Naman Dhir’s off-spin slowed the scoring rate, Greaves cut the latter past point in the 14th over to reach his fifty and bring up the team's hundred. It also marked the West Indies' first century opening stand against India since Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis added 115 in Port of Spain in 2019.
Greaves, hampered by a shin problem, survived a tight run-out call after Kuldeep Yadav's introduction, even as Campbell reached his fifty in the 17th over and then hit the wrist-spinner for six over deep mid-wicket.
Kuldeep got a breakthrough in the 20th over when Campbell top-edged a sweep to short fine leg and depart for 62. The 135-run opening stand also marked the third-highest opening partnership for the West Indies against India in India.
Keacy Carty struggled for fluency - falling over while sweeping and nearly chipping a return catch to Kuldeep. He had another escape in the 30th over when a toe-ended scoop rolled between his legs and just missed the stumps. Carty’s tortured stay ended in the 31st over when he tried taking on a short ball from Prasidh, but only lobbed to mid-on.
Kuldeep’s superb time continued when captain Shai Hope miscued a loft off him and was caught by backward point. After Greaves raised his maiden ODI century via a sharp single through point, he missed a sweep off a googly from Kuldeep and was struck on the back leg. India went for the review and ball-tracking showed the delivery hitting the top of off stump.
One brought two for Kuldeep as Jewel Andrew pressed forward to a googly he should have been playing on backfoot, as the ball took the shoulder edge and Rohit Sharma at slip grabbed it above his head to dismiss the youngster for a golden duck. Roston Chase, who got off the mark with a reverse sweep for four off Kuldeep, eased the pressure in the 42nd over by pulling and driving Naman Dhir for successive boundaries.
Jangoo then cut loose in the 43rd over - taking three fours off Prasidh as 15 runs came from it. Prasidh hit back two overs later as he castled Chase for 24 with a delivery that nipped in as the batter tried to heave over midwicket and end a 50-run stand.
Jangoo kept going by hitting Gurnoor for successive fours and later flicking him over deep midwicket for six to reach his second ODI fifty off 38 balls. In the final over, Reddy removed Matthew Forde when he miscued a full toss to long-off. Jangoo remained unbeaten, but his efforts couldn’t take the West Indies past the 300-run mark, which remained a possibility to breach till Kuldeep led a late fightback.
Brief Scores: West Indies 295/7 in 50 overs (Justin Greaves 101, John Campbell 62; Kuldeep Yadav 4-40, Prasidh Krishna 2-60) against India
Source: IANS
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