Pacer kicks off international journey with 3-17 before India beat West Indies by four wickets
India pacer Navdeep Saini celebrates a wicket of West Indies's Shimron Hetmeyer during the first T20I at Central Broward Regional Park Stadium on Saturday. Pic/AFP
Lauderhill (USA): Debutant pacer Navdeep Saini starred in Team India's four-wicket win over West Indies in the first T20I here on Saturday.
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Saini's 3-17 in his four overs helped India restrict West Indies for a paltry 95-9 in their 20 overs. For West Indies, only Kieron Pollard made a notable contribution (49 runs) before the big-hitter was dismissed by the debutant pacer in the final over.
India then chased down the total in 17.2 overs, thanks to Rohit Sharma's 24 and skipper Virat Kohli's 19.
Opting to field, all the six Indian bowlers got at least a wicket apiece with Saini being the most impressive. The Indians were also helped by the reckless approach of West Indian batsmen.
There was no substantive partnership in the West Indies innings with the highest being the 34 between captain Carlos Brathwaite (9) and top-scorer Kieron Pollard (49) for the sixth wicket. Nicholas Pooran (20) was the only other West Indies batsman to score double digit figures.
India opened bowling with off-spinner Washington Sundar (1-18) and got a wicket in the second ball itself with John Campbell slapping straight to deep midwicket fielder Krunal Pandya.
The other opener Evin Lewis fell in the second over with pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2-19) beating him with a knuckle ball to rattle his timber. Both the openers failed to open their accounts as the West Indies were reduced to 8-2.
Despite the two quick wickets, the West Indians continued to be aggressive in their approach and Saini exploited the situation by claiming two wickets in two balls in the fifth over.
Pooran, who was looking dangerous after hitting two sixes, went for a big shot but the ball ballooned up in the air for wicketkeeper Rishab Pant to take an easy catch. Shimron Hetmyer (0) then dragged the ball onto the stump for Saini's second wicket.
West Indies procession to the dressing room continued with Rovman Powell (4) felling to Khaleel Ahmed (1-8) the next over — 6th — as they were reduced to 33 for 5 at the end of Powerplay.
Pollard and Brathwaite curbed their attacking instincts for a while and played some sensible cricket to remain united for eight wickets during which they added 34 runs.
Brathwaite and Sunil Narine got dismissed in the 15th and 16th overs respectively as West Indies could touch 100 in the end.
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Navdeep Saini is the first Indian bowler to bowl a maiden in the 20th over of a T20I innings
Brief scores
West Indies 95-9 in 20 overs (Kieron Pollard 49; Navdeep Saini 3-17) lose to India 98-6 in 17.2 overs (Rohit Sharma 24, Virat Kohli 19; Sunil Narine 2-14) by four wickets
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