India secured a comfortable 45-run victory against West Indies in their first warm-up match of the ICC World T20. At the Eden Gardens, Rohit Sharma continued his impressive recent form, scoring an unbeaten 57-ball 98 to help India post 185 for 6, before the bowlers ensured victory was achieved in 19.2 overs, bowling out the West Indies for 140.
There was no toss as India batted first on mutual consent. Initially, Rohit Sharma was a lot more circumspect than Shikhar Dhawan, his opening partner. Dhawan scored a 17-ball 21, including a six off Johnson Charles, before falling to the left-arm spin of Sulieman Benn. Ajinkya Rahane didn’t last long, becoming Benn’s second victim as India was reduced to 56 for 2.
Yuvraj Singh then walked in to form a solid alliance with Rohit. The two were together for 7.4 overs, putting on 89 for the fourth wicket at an eye-catching run-rate of 11.60. At one point, Rohit even ploughed three consecutive boundaries against the offspin of Ashley Nurse – a six sandwiched by two fours. Yuvraj then responded with consecutive fours off Darren Sammy.
While Yuvraj fell to Sammy for a 20-ball 31, and Ravindra Jadeja (10), Pawan Negi (8) and Hardik Pandya (0) struggled to blast away. Rohit carried his bat to boost the total, although he missed the century by two runs.
A Chris Gayle blitz helped the West Indies get its chase off to a good start, but they couldn’t capitalise once he was dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah for a 11-ball 20 in the fourth over. It was a steady procession of wickets thereafter.
Andre Russell attempted to bat his way out of trouble, putting away two fours and a six in a 13-ball 19. But once he fell to Pandya, only Jason Holder’s late unbeaten nine-ball 13 served to delay India’s victory.
