India's young allrounder Shivam Dube slammed his first T20I half-century during the second game of the three-match series against West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram. Dube took 27 balls to reach his maiden fifty in the shortest format of the game.
Dube was promoted to third position in the batting order in the match, and after a significantly slow start, the Mumbai all-rounder picked up pace to race to his half-century.
In the opening stages of the innings, Dube had been finding it difficult to time the ball. In the first 14 deliveries, he had scored only 12 runs as India were 45/1 in seven overs. However, Dube shifted gears in the eighth over of the game as he slammed Jason Holder for a six and a four in the first-two deliveries.
Despite losing Rohit Sharma in the same over, Dube continued on his onslaught as he slammed Windies captain Kieron Pollard for three sixes in an over to up the ante. He scored 26 runs off the over.
Shivam Dube was eventually dismissed on 54, facing 30 deliveries off Hayden Walsh.
Before this match, Dube was largely been used as a bowler in the national team. He had faced only 12 deliveries in four T20Is, scoring 10 runs without a four or a six. However, he played a crucial role with the ball in India's victory in the third T20I against Bangladesh last month, taking three wickets for 30 runs.
India are currently 1-0 ahead in the three-match series against West Indies. Virat Kohli shined with the bat in the first T20I, reaching his career-best 94* to guide the side to a six-wicket victory.
