Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in action during the first ODI against West Indies
Taking motivation from a resilient ton by captain Virat Kohli, vice-captain Rohit Sharma scored his 20th ODI century off 84 balls in the first ODI against West Indies at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, on Sunday. (LIVE UPDATES)
India were 248/1, needing 75 runs to win against West Indies (322/8) when the 31-year-old Mumbai batsman reached the triple figure in Guwahati. (LIVE STREAMING)
Earlier, Shimron Hetmyer scored 106 runs as West Indies finished on 322-8 in 50 overs in the first ODI against India on Sunday. (LIVE SCORECARD)
Kieran Powell scored 51 off 39 balls, while Jason Holder (38) chipped in with valuable runs later in the innings as West Indies set an imposing target despite losing regular wickets in the middle overs.
Put into bat, they got off to a flier thanks to Powell's hard hitting against Indian pacers. Mohammed Shami (2-81), returning to ODI cricket after a year away, proved expensive.
Despite his dismissal of debutant Chandrapaul Hemraj (9), the flow of runs didn't stem. Powell and Shai Hope (32) continue scoring at nearly six runs per over and put on 50 runs off just 41 balls.
West Indies crossed 100 in the 20th over and were dominating the run of play, when Powell top edged Khaleel Ahmed (1-64) and was caught behind.
The dismissal allowed India a way back and the tourists struck in quick succession thereafter, with leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (3-41) trapping Marlon Samuels lbw for a two-ball duck.
Hope was then caught behind off Shami and suddenly West Indies were struggling at 114-4 in the 22nd over.
Hetmyer then took charge of the innings and made good use of perfect batting conditions as he smacked six fours and another six sixes.
In doing so, he reached his half-century off 41 balls and put on 74 runs off 53 balls with Rovman Powell (22) for the fifth wicket. That put West Indies' innings into a higher gear once again as the 200 came up in the 32nd over.
Holder helped Hetmyer maintain the tempo and they put on 60 off 49 balls for the sixth wicket.
Hetmyer reached his third ODI hundred in style with a six off just 74 balls. Yet, he was out soon after trying to clear the square leg fence and holing out off Jadeja.
West Indies was again under pressure but Holder marshalled the lower order well. Thereafter, Devendra Bishoo (22 not out) and Kemar Roach (26 not out) took control in the final overs as they put on 44 off 40 balls for the ninth wicket.
West Indies crossed 300 in the 49th over as Indian pacers squandered away the advantage leaking 68 runs in the last ten overs.
(With AP inputs)
