THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, SEPT 27: Virat Kohli produced a breathtaking unbeaten 139 off 88 balls while skipper Shubman Gill struck a fluent century as India chased down West Indies’ 295/7 with eight wickets in hand in the first ODI at the Greenfield International Stadium on Sunday.
India reached 300/2 in 41.4 overs, completing a comprehensive eight-wicket victory and taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
West Indies, after being asked to bat first, got off to an excellent start as John Campbell and Justin Greaves added 135 runs for the opening wicket.
Campbell attacked the Indian bowlers confidently and brought up his half-century before eventually falling for 62 off 60 balls. Greaves continued to anchor the innings and completed his maiden ODI century, scoring 101 off 108 deliveries, as the visitors looked set for a substantial total.
India, however, fought back through the brilliance of Kuldeep Yadav, whose four-wicket spell changed the course of the innings.
The left-arm wrist-spinner finished with 4/40 in 10 overs, removing Campbell, West Indies captain Shai Hope, Greaves and Jewel Andrew as the visitors slipped from 176/1 to 198/5. His intervention prevented West Indies from converting their strong start into a much bigger score.
Amir Jangoo provided the late acceleration for West Indies, remaining unbeaten on 58 off 43 balls and building useful partnerships in the lower order.
Despite the strong opening stand and Greaves’ century, West Indies were restricted to 295/7 in their allotted 50 overs, leaving India a target of 296.
India began the chase aggressively, with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill putting together 74 runs for the opening wicket.
Rohit contributed 32 off 35 balls before being dismissed by Alzarri Joseph, but his departure brought Kohli to the crease and marked the beginning of a match-defining partnership.
Gill and Kohli then took complete command of the chase. Gill, who received a reprieve early in his innings, made West Indies pay heavily for the missed opportunity.
He accelerated after reaching his half-century and went on to score 110 off 108 balls, including 13 fours and a six. The century was Gill’s 10th in ODI cricket and came at a crucial stage of the chase.
At the other end, Kohli produced another masterclass in ODI chasing. He initially concentrated on rotating the strike and running hard before gradually unleashing a series of attacking strokes.
Once he settled in, the boundaries began to flow, with the former India captain particularly severe on the West Indies pacers and spinners. Kohli and Gill added 151 runs for the second wicket, effectively taking the game away from the visitors.
Kohli reached his half-century from just 40 balls before shifting through the gears. He brought up his century in only 74 deliveries, launching Gudakesh Motie for a massive six over mid-wicket. His final score of 139 not out came from 88 balls, featuring 10 fours and nine sixes, giving him a strike rate of nearly 158.
The innings also added another landmark to Kohli’s remarkable ODI career. He registered his 55th ODI century and became only the second batter after Sachin Tendulkar to cross 15,000 ODI runs.
Kohli’s performance also took him to his 86th international century, underlining the scale of his contribution across formats.
Gill departed after completing his century, but by then India needed only a relatively small number of runs.
Ruturaj Gaikwad joined Kohli and the pair calmly took India towards the target.
With the result already virtually sealed, Kohli remained in attacking mode and ensured the finish matched the quality of his innings.
The final over provided the perfect climax. With India nine runs away after the 41st over, Keacy Carty conceded three wides on the first delivery of the 42nd.
Kohli then took a single before Gaikwad added another. With India needing only two runs, Kohli smashed another six, leaving India just one run away.
He then faced Carty again and launched the next delivery over the boundary for the winning six, finishing the chase in emphatic fashion.
India eventually finished on 300/2 in 41.4 overs, winning with 50 balls remaining. Kohli’s unbeaten 139 and Gill’s 110 dominated the chase, while Kuldeep’s four-wicket haul had earlier provided the platform for India’s victory.
The result gives India a 1-0 advantage in the three-match series, with the second ODI scheduled for September 30 in Guwahati.
Score:
WEST INDIES 295/7 (50 overs) — Justin Greaves 101, John Campbell 62, Amir Jangoo 58*; Kuldeep Yadav 4/40, Prasidh Krishna 2/60.
INDIA 300/2 (41.4 overs) — Virat Kohli 139* (88), Shubman Gill 110 (108), Rohit Sharma 32; Roston Chase 1/64, Alzarri Joseph 1/81. India won by 8 wickets and lead the series 1-0.
