LUCKNOW – India captain Shreyas Iyer manhandled West Indies’ bowlers on his way to a scintillating, unbeaten maiden T20I century that lifted his side to a commanding eight-wicket win in their opener in India on Tuesday.
Iyer belted 10 fours and four sixes in his 102 not out off just 43 balls, as the home side eased to 172 for two in 14.4 overs.
His performance overshadowed half centuries from skipper Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford, whose efforts helped the visitors get up to 171 before being bowled out in 19.1 overs at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium.
Hope, fresh off two centuries in the preceding One Day International (ODI) series, along with debutant Kamil Pooran got the West Indies off to a decent start after they were sent in to bat, until an all too familiar batting collapse stifled their progress.
Hope hit pacer Mayank Yadav for four boundaries in the second over, while Pooran got off the mark by guiding Arshdeep Singh to the third man boundary for four in the ensuing over to see them motor to 28 without loss after three overs.
But just as Pooran was beginning to find his groove, he inside edged a delivery from Singh onto his stumps to be bowled for 12.
Shimron Hetmyer’s first scoring shot was also a boundary, but his time at the crease was short-lived, as his bat was not grounded when wicketkeeper Sanju Sampson dislodged the bails after he attempted a sharp single following a misfield, to leave the score 44 for two in the sixth over.
Three balls later, and without a run added, Rovman Powell was bowled by spinner Axar Patel for a duck attempting an unsightly slog over the legside.
The Windies did respond, with Hope and Rutherford sharing a 63-run partnership for the fourth wicket, that saw them to recover to 107 for three in the 12th over.
Hope brought up his 13th T20I half century off 36 balls by hitting debutant spinner Naman Dhir for six over long on, but perished the very next delivery when he picked out deep midwicket to be out for 52, which included six fours and two sixes.
The West Indies lost regular wickets thereafter, with only Rutherford, who topscored with 56 off 34 balls with six fours and three sixes, putting up any resistance before being eventually dismissed in the penultimate over.
Dhir finished with 3-31, Axar Patel took 2-26 and Kuldeep Yadav 2-33.
India found themselves in early trouble when openers Samson and Abhishek Sharma fell in quick succession to spinners Roston Chase and Akeal Hosein – playing in his 100th T20I – respectively, to slump to 35 for two.
However, from thereon it was the Iyer show, with the skipper dominating an unbroken partnership of 137 with Ishan Kishan, who finished unbeaten on 37.
Iyer smashed pacer Shamar Joseph for three consecutive boundaries in the sixth over and did the same to Romario Shepherd in the ninth over that carried him into the 40s and India to 94 for two after nine overs.
He subsequently brought up his 11th T20I half century off 28 balls with a single off medium pacer Shamar Springer.
Iyer continued to find the boundaries, clubbing Hosein for a six and four in the 13th over. He took a personal liking to Matthew Forde, who he blasted for three sixes and four in the following over that went for 24 runs and carried him to 95.
He then reached his maiden T20I century off 42 balls in spectacular fashion by hitting Chase for a massive six over long on to level the scores.
Iyer duly completed the finishing touches by picking up a single off the next ball to see India to victory with 32 balls to spare and a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
CMC
Summarised scores
WEST INDIES 171 in 19.1 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 56, Shai Hope 52, Akeal Hosein 15, Kamil Pooran 12; Naman Dhir 3-31, Axar Patel 2-26, Kuldeep Yadav 2-33).
INDIA 172-2 in 14.4 overs (Shreyas Iyer 102 not out, Ishan Kishan 37 not out, Abhishek Sharma 21, Sanju Samson 11).
India won by eight wickets.
