WI vs IND: Ishan Kishan guides India to win after Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja destroy West Indies in 1st ODI

India, on Thursday, defeated West Indies by 5 wickets in the first game of the three-match ODI series on Thursday, July 27 at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.

India, thereby, took a crucial 1-0 lead in the series, leaving the Caribbean team in a must-win situation going into the last two games.

Ishan Kishan scored 52 runs off 46 balls with seven fours and a six as India chased down a target of 115 in 18 overs. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli kept demoting themselves to give the youngsters chances to show their skills. Rohit eventually came to bat after Shardul Thakur departed.

Shubman Gill’s disappointing run on the West Indies tour continued after Jayden Seales dismissed him. Suryakumar Yadav looked promising during his brief stay, scoring 19 with three fours and a six before Gudakesh Motie accounted for his wicket.

Motie picked up two wickets, but did not have a lot of runs to work with. Rohit hit Motie for a four to bring the curtains down on the match.

KULDEEP, JADEJA DOMINATE
Earlier, India bowled West Indies out for 114 in 23 overs. Shai Hope proved his mettle once again by demonstrating a stupendous knock. He showcased an admixture of aggression coupled with precise shot selection, managing boundaries and steaming the runs.

Hope scored a solid 70 runs, fueling the West Indies’ innings and providing stability amid the tumbling wickets. His deft timing and classy drives provided the much-needed momentum to the home side. He stitched key partnerships with the middle-order in a bid to put up a respectable total on the board.

However, despite Hope’s determined knock, the Indian bowling attack led by Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav proved to be a tough nut to crack. The duo outsmarted the West Indies batting lineup, leaving them baffled with their spin and precision.

Jadeja, the ever-dependable all-rounder, was at the top of his game. He bowled tightly, and his mesmerizing bowling kept the batters on the back-foot. Meanwhile, Kuldeep, another ace spinner of Team India, worked alongside Jadeja to rip through the West Indies’ batting arsenal.

Jadeja and Yadav managed to pick up three and four wickets respectively. They built high pressure on the opposition, leading to critical breakthroughs at important junctures of the match.

Their tight and consistent bowling ensured the West Indies batters could never really break-free for the free-flowing cricket they generally indulge in. The wickets taken by Jadeja and Yadav were vital in putting the pressure back on the West Indies, thereby setting the stage for a fantastic contest.