HYDERABAD, India — Skipper Virat Kohli struck a blistering 94 to power India to a six-wicket win after chasing down 208 against the West Indies in the opening Twenty20 international on Friday.
Kohli put on a key 100-run second-wicket stand with KL Rahul, who made 62, as the hosts reached their target with eight balls to spare and lead the three-match series 1-0.
The star batsman smashed six fours and six sixes to record his career-best T20 international score in 50 balls as he surpassed his previous high of 90 with a winning hit over the rope.
Kohli arrived with the score on 30 for one to complete his 23rd fifty and soon launched an attack to pulverize the West Indies bowlers as India pulled off their highest ever T20 chase.
Left-handed batsman Shimron Hetmyer made 56 and put on 71 with skipper Kieron Pollard to lead West Indies to 207 for five after being put in to bat on a good batting wicket.
West Indies looked poised to get over 220 but leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal struck twice in three deliveries to get Hetmyer and send Pollard, who hit 37, trudging back to the pavilion.
Jason Holder then struck an unbeaten 24 off nine balls as West Indies managed 29 off the last two overs.
Evin Lewis, with his 17-ball 40, and Brandon King, who made 31, also made useful contributions.
The match also witnessed the start of a latest trial of technology using a TV umpire instead of the on-field official to call front foot no-balls.
India's Anil Chaudhary called the first no-ball with paceman Kesrick Williams overstepping the line in the 13th over of the Indian innings.
Williams bowled another no-ball and Holder the third of the match.
The system was trialed once in 2016, in the series between England and Pakistan, but the International Cricket Council wants to come out with a clear implementation of the plan this time around.
The second match of the series is in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. — AFP
Scoreboard
West Indies
L. Simmons c Sharma b Chahar 2
E. Lewis lbw b Sundar 40
B. King st Pant b Jadeja 31
S. Hetmyer c Sharma b Chahal 56
K. Pollard b Chahal 37
J. Holder not out 24
D. Ramdin not out 11
Extras (lb2, w4) 6
Total (5 wickets, 20 overs) 207
Did not bat: K. Pierre, K. Williams, S. Cottrell, H. Walsh Jr
Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Simmons), 2-64 (Lewis), 3-101 (King), 4-172 (Hetmyer), 5-173 (Pollard)
Bowling: Sundar 3-0-34-1 (w1), Chahar 4-0-56-1 (w2), Kumar 4-0-36-0, Jadeja 4-0-30-1, Chahal 4-0-36-2 (w1), Dube 1-0-13-0
India (target 208)
R. Sharma c Hetmyer b Pierre 8
KL Rahul c Pollard b Pierre 62
V. Kohli not out 94
R. Pant c Holder b Cottrell 18
S. Iyer c & b Pollard 4
S. Dube not out 0
Extras (b4, lb2, nb3, w14) 23
Total (4 wickets, 18.4 overs) 209
Did not bat: R. Jadeja, W. Sundar, D. Chahar, B. Kumar, Y. Chahal
Fall of wickets: 1-30 (Sharma), 2-130 (Rahul), 3-178 (Pant), 4-193 (Iyer)
Bowling: Cottrell 4-0-24-1, Holder 4-0-46-0 (nb1, w2)), Pierre 4-0-44-2 (w9), Walsh 2-0-19-0 (w1), Williams 3.4-0-60-0 (nb2, w1), Pollard 1-0-10-1 (w1)
Toss: India
Result: India won by 6 wickets
Series: India lead the three-match series 1-0
Umpires: Nitin Menon (IND) and CK Nandan (IND)
TV umpire: Anil Chaudhary (IND)
Match referee: David Boon (AUS)
