India lead the series 1-0.
Fittingly, Obed McCoy picks up the Player of the Match award.
WI win by 5 wickets
Oh boy – India would be left second-guessing their final-over call! Rohit backs Avesh for the final over, ahead of Bhuvi. But the young pacer oversteps first ball. Thomas smacks a six and four and seals the deal in two legitimate balls. WI level the series!
Arshdeep strikes
After a neat 17th over, he takes out Rovman Powell with a picture-perfect yorker! Another twist in the tale? His 6-run penultimate over leaves WI with 10 to get off the final over.
Twist in the tale?
Kings smokes a six down the ground to welcome Avesh Khan back into the attack but the bowler has the last laugh. Full, fiery, perfect yorker delivery and King fails to get his bat down in time. The set batter departs and India have an opening. Can they capitalise?
Jadeja gets Hetmyer
Caught and bowled. Length ball. Hetmyer is cramped up. Sends a low return catch but Jadeja ain’t missing that one.
FIFTY
A 39-ball fifty for King! He’s played a brilliant knock here to keep WI chase on the right track.
Ashwin returns, Pooran departs
Pooran dances down but couldn’t quite get to the pitch of the ball. Miscues and the long-on has all the time in the world to settle under it. Eyes on the ball all through and it’s an easy take in the end. WI lose their second.
Hardik strikes first ball
Finally a breakthrough for India. Kyle Mayers departs! Full and on the pads, Mayers flicks but he’s hitting against the wind. Easy take for Ashwin at the boundary line.
King dealing in boundaries
He’s already hit six of them, sparing neither the pacers nor the spinners. And now wraps sup a successful powerplay for WI with a six straight down the ground off Ashwin. WI 46/0
Back for the chase, and Brandon King gets it going with a first-ball four off Bhuvi.
Innings break: India 138 all out
Holder completes the formalities in the final over but it’s McCoy with the best T20I bowling figures for a West Indies bowler who takes the spotlight today. Struck with first balls both his overs in the powerplay to rattle the Indian top-order and then returns at death to pick a few with slower balls. Three in his final over, figures of 4-1-17-6 – stuff of dreams! Back in 15 for WI’s chase.
Five, nah, six-fer for McCoy
Ashwin sends a catch to Deep babckward point and Bhuvi is caught behind – though WI had to take a DRS review for that. But all’s well that ends well and McCoy is a happy man. Career-best 6/17 for him! What a day he’s had.
McCoy gets four
Jadeja holes out first to long-on, done in by a slower ball. DK is the pacer’s fourth victim, goes to pull and the fielder at shot fine completes a running catch.
Hardik departs
Pulled, straight to deep midwicket, who takes it on the second attempt. Holder picks up his first wicket of the game.
100 up for India, in the 13th over
Halfway there, and India have 75/4 on the board. How much will they make eventually?
Pant departs
Looks to slog the spinner and picks the fielder in the deep to perfection! Akeal Hossain strikes in his first over as well, and Pant’s entertaining little cameo comes to an end on 12-ball 24.
50 up for India
Pandya hacks his first six of the game to keep India going. India are 56/3 after the powerplay.
Joseph joins the party
Short ball, there’s pace and there’s extra bounce. Shreyas Iyer unfortunately goes slashing and is undone by the extra bounce. Edged to the keeper as India lose their third.
And again!
First ball of his second over and McCoy removes the second Indian opener as well! Lured into a drive and SKY takes the bait with minimal foot movement. Thick outside edge and it’s an easy take for the keeper.
Obed McCoy strikes first ball
…and the India captain is on his way back.Just the start the hosts would have wanted! Short ball, angled across. Rohit pokes half-heartedly and is taken aback by the extra bounce. Leading edge is gobbled by backward point with ease and India are one down already.
Right then, after all the delays, we’re all set for live action. Rohit and SKY walk out to open.
Teams:
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Dinesh Karthik, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh
West Indies (Playing XI): Kyle Mayers, Brandon King, Nicholas Pooran(w/c), Rovman Powell, Shimron Hetmyer, Devon Thomas, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Odean Smith, Alzarri Joseph, Obed McCoy
TOSS: WI opt to field first.2 changes for the hosts – Keemo Paul and Brooks are out.India have opted for an extra seamer so Avesh Khan comes in and Bishnoi unfortunately misses out.
T-minus 13 minutes from Toss:
#WIvIND
04:45 PM  Aug 08, 2022
It’s official: We’re 25 mins away from toss now
UPDATE – Start of the 2nd T20I between India and West Indies at St.Kitts has been delayed.
Please find below revised playing times
1 PM (local) 10.30 PM IST : Toss
1:30PM(local) 11 PM IST : Start of play
#WIvIND
04:34 PM  Aug 08, 2022
Update: We may not be starting at our rescheduled (10PM IST) time.
Starting at 11pm apparently. Still 20 overs a side. Shambles. #WIvsIND
03:56 PM  Aug 08, 2022
Prelude – Second T20I
India lead the series 1-0 but that is academic. Both teams are looking at the series as a major SRT – Situation Reaction Test for their players as they build towards the T20 WC. The batting approach of India has been well documented but this series might give a glimpse of how Rohit and Dravid plan to setup their bowling attack. On slow surfaces, the spinners will be jostling to make a mark as three of them (Ashwin, Jadeja and Bishnoi) did in the opening game.
West Indies meanwhile aren’t any close to finding their XI let alone know what their 15 might look like. We’ve had a delayed start to this game at St. Kitts because of logistical issues with regards to players’ baggage coming in from Trinidad.
But we’re not too far away from the toss now. Hold tight!
This news is republished from another source. You can check the original article here