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India vs West Indies, 1st T20I 2016, Highlights & Results: Evin Lewis 100, KL Rahul’s 110, and other highlights

India lost just by a run to the West Indies, in the first of the two-match T20I series, at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida on Saturday.

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Evin Lewis's 100 indeed was the backbone of the West Indies innings, as they posted a mammoth total of 245, that was enough to put pressure on the Indians. Photo Courtesy: BCCI Twitter handle
Evin Lewis’s 100 indeed was the backbone of the West Indies innings, as they posted a mammoth total of 245, that was enough to put pressure on the Indians. Photo Courtesy: BCCI Twitter handle

As India stepped up their cricketing campaign for the season, following an impressive 2-0 series win over the West Indies, in the just concluded four-match Test series in the Caribbean, they face off against each other in the shortest format of the game, and for the very first time in the United States of America (USA), in what turned out to be an exciting game, as the former world Twenty20 (T20) champions India lost just by a run to the reigning champions West Indies, in the first of the two-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series, at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida on Saturday. With the match filled with excitement, as well as twists and turns, Ayush Gupta presents the highlights that made the game indeed an epic one. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: India vs West Indies 2016, 1st T20I at Florida

Johnson Charles-Evin Lewis terrific opening stand: The West Indies openers in the form of Johnson Charles and Evin Lewis gave the West Indies the perfect start with the bat, as they indeed set up the platform for a tough total to be put on the board. A crucial 126-run opening stand surely did most of the damage for the Indian bowlers, and especially with Charles scoring 79, along with Lewis, scoring his maiden T20I ton, just gave West Indies that start they had been looking for, and with the 100 up in the opening 10 overs, the big total was inevitable, as the openers also nourished the good condition of the wicket, which was perfect to bat on.

Johnson Charles healthy knock of 79: It was Charles, whose knock of 79 was the inspiring factor for most of the West Indian batsmen in the side, as he scored his half-century in just 20 balls, and also equalled the record of second fastest half-century by a West Indian along with Kieron Pollard, and Chris Gayle, as the record is held by the big Jamaican Gayle. Charles’s knock was the start of the run feast, in what also turned out to be an epic run feast ever in T20I cricket history. FULL CRICKET UPDATES: India vs West Indies 2016, 1st T20I at Florida

Evin Lewis impressive knock of 100: Following the healthy knock of 79 from Charles, it was the turn of the rookie Lewis, who turned his score to a big one, as compared to Lewis, and made sure that the platform was set for a big run feast, especially for the West Indies, as they aimed to put up a big total on the board, and prove to the world that why they are the reigning world T20 champions. His 100 indeed was the backbone of the West Indies innings, as they posted a mammoth total of 245, that was enough to put pressure on the Indians, as also prove that Indian skipper MS Dhoni was wrong about judging the pitch, which was completely perfect to be batted on.

Evin Lewis-Andre Russell’s steady stand of 78: Following the fall of the opening wicket in the form Charles, it was Lewis who took control of the innings, and along with Andre Russell, they put up a steady 78-run stand for the second wicket, which helped West Indies to not scum to the breakthrough got by the Indians, and in turn put more pressure on the Indian bowlers, as they continued to steer towards the match-winning total. Lewis contributed 54, while Russell contributed 22 in the stand. IND vs WI, 1st T20I 2016: Rahul scores maiden T20I century, 2nd fastest in T20I

Stuart Binny’s horrific over of 32 runs: India’s one of the fair all-rounder Stuart Binny was glad to have a chance being given back in the side. However, his day with the ball turned out to be a horrific one, as he managed to bowl just one over, and was smashed for massive 32 runs in the over, that included five sixes from Lewis. While at one point it seemed Binny would be a victim of six sixes in an over in T20Is, the record being held by fellow Indian Yuvraj Singh, he managed to give just a couple in the final ball of his over to save himself from the embarrassment, as the over also turned out to be the penultimate over and also played a deciding factor in the outcome of the game.

Rohit Sharma’s strong knock of 62: Following the brutal innings from the West Indies, it was the turn of the Indian batsmen to fire, and starting with the Indian innings, it was India’s ‘Hitman’ Rohit Sharma, who played a strong innings of 62, that allowed India to fightback, and make sure that they do not allow West Indies to win the match easy. His innings was also the start of the Indian domination in the second innings, as the West Indies bowlers too struggled to get the perfect hold of their bowling, while the Indian batsmen cruised closer to a possible win. IND Vs WI 1st T20I as it happened: Lewis’ ton reduces opposition to rubble; WI set up 246-run target

KL Rahul’s commendable knock of 110: Whatever year the 2016 has been for Indian cricket, it has been just an incredible year so far for KL Rahul, as he has just been absolutely sensational in the shortest format of the game. His good form in the format started ever since the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2016, and he has managed to carry the good form ever since perfectly with him to the Indian side, and has performed in almost every game, and also in almost every format. His knock of 110 was the penultimate innings, as it was his innings, which indeed steered India almost to a win, before losing out on the last ball. He was also the third Indian to score a ton in T20Is.

Rohit Sharma-KL Rahul’s crucial knock of 89: Not just their individual innings, but Rohit and Rahul struck together as well, as they put up the crucial 89-run stand for the third wicket, which set up India’s innings for a roll, and the build-up towards their march for the win was almost set, as their stand set the platform for the incoming batsmen to play an easy innings, and steer Indian towards a possible win. Rohit contributed 37, while Rahul contributed 51 in the stand.

MS Dhoni-KL Rahul’s stable 107-run stand: The Indian skipper MS Dhoni along with Rahul were on the mission to see India off to a win, as they batted together brilliantly to almost do it for India, as they together played a stable innings, and put up 107 runs until the end, falling short just by a run, as India failed to achieve the win, yet coming so close. Dhoni contributed 43, while Rahul contributed 59 in the stand, as Dhoni was playing a sensible knock, and trying to stay until the end to possible see India to a win.

MS Dhoni’s sensible knock of 43: The Indian skipper is always known to be a clam-minded player, and Dhoni once again proved it as he was playing a sensible knock, and was keeping no stone unturned on his mission to see India for a win in the 1st T20I. As he played sensible knock of 43, it was up to him in the final ball of the innings to steer away for just a couple of runs to snatch the win away from the West Indies. However, he failed to turn the final stone properly, as India fell prey to an unfortunate run defeat to the world champions, in an otherwise cautious innings from the skipper.

(Ayush Gupta is a reporter at CricketCountry. A passionate supporter of Manchester United, he idolises Roger Federer and is also a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) maniac. He can be followed on Twitter @Ayush24x7)

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