Team India failed to chase down 150 runs in the first T20I against the West Indies as the Men in Maroon took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series with a thrilling 4-run win at Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba on Thursday, August 3. Apart from the debutant Tilak Varma, who played a brilliant hand of 39 off just 22 balls, the rest of the Indian batters couldn't adjust to the pace of the wicket and played shots, which they could have avoided as West Indies handed them a shock defeat in the Men in Blue's 200th T20I.
It started from the top when Akeal Hosein dismissed Shubman Gill in just the third over of the innings for just three before Ishan Kishan departed after scoring six runs. Varma played some outstanding shots taking on bowlers like Alzarri Joseph, however, the fun lasted only for a while as India kept losing wickets from the other end. Jason Holder got rid of Suryakumar Yadav in the 10th over, who scored a run-a-ball 21 and Varma too went immediately after that.
Skipper Hardik Pandya and Sanju Samson did put the tape on the leak for a bit, however, not for long as the partnership didn't add any momentum as the slowness of the surface didn't let any of the batters take unnecessary risk with almost five overs remaining.
Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel did try hitting a couple of big hits, but eventually, it was too much for them to get with the main batters not doing the job.
Earlier as well, a slow pitch combined with some good spin bowling in the middle overs by the Indian team resulted in West Indies scoring just 149 runs in their 20 overs. Nicholas Pooran, who returned from a magnificent 40-ball century in the Major League Cricket (MLC) final, continued from where he left off as he smacked Axar Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal for a few lusty blows in their two overs in the powerplay.
Pooran raced off to 23 off seven deliveries, however, slowed down considerably after the powerplay as the ball started to hold in the surface. West Indies kept losing wickets from the other end but Pooran with a handy knock of 41 and skipper Rovman Powell smashed 32-ball 48 to help the home side get to 149, a respectable score, which proved to be too much in the end.
