Rohit Sharma slammed a fighting half-century yesterday as India recovered from 59-5 to beat West Indies by one wicket with seven balls remaining in the first one-day international (ODI).
Sharma’s knock of 72 resurrected India’s innings at Barabati Stadium, but it was left to the last pair of Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav to hit the winning runs as India reached 213-9 after West Indies had totalled 211-9.
Sharma was focused and did not let a flurry of wickets and a five-minute interruption due to crowd disturbance waver his concentration. He rebuilt the innings with an 83-run stand for the sixth wicket with left-handed all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (38).
Sharma struck three fours and a six off 99 balls during his ninth one-day half-century and was out just when he seemed to have sealed the game, bowled off his pads by Martin. Vinay Kumar’s (18) dismissal immediately afterwards reduced India to 201-9.
Winning runs
Aaron and Yadav, who had bagged two wickets each earlier in the day, scored six apiece to ensure victory. Yadav’s shot off Darren Sammy through mid-on brought up the winning runs.
“Rohit and Jadeja batted really well in that partnership and we should have won it easily from there,” India captain Virender Sehwag said. “But it is still good to win and we hope to learn from our batting mistakes in the coming games.”
The world champion Indians struggled against pace bowlers Kemar Roach (3-46) and Andre Russell (2-29).
Parthiv Patel hit a ball straight to point to be dismissed for 12, while fellow opener Gautam Gambhir edged a bouncer to be caught behind three deliveries later for four. Roach bowled Virat Kohli for three with a ball that moved in to take his third wicket in nine deliveries.
Russell chipped in with two crucial wickets to suffocate the experienced Indian batting line-up. He bowled Sehwag (20), who hit three fours off an over from leg-spinner Anthony Martin, and had Suresh Raina (5) caught at mid-off as India slipped from 37-0 to 59-5 in little more than seven overs.
Earlier, Yadav (2-33) and Aaron (2-47) led a fine bowling display, justifying Sehwag’s decision to bowl first in front of a packed stadium of 45,000.
In-form left-hander Darren Bravo top-scored for the visiting side with 60 and put on a 75-run stand for the fourth wicket with Danza Hyatt, who chipped in with 31.
No. 4 batsman Bravo, who scored two centuries in the three-Test series which India won 2-0, batted himself in with singles before opening up. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin dropped a return catch when the batsman was on 26.
Bravo struck six fours off 74 deliveries before he was bowled playing the wrong line to part-time spinner Suresh Raina.
Bravo and Hyatt came together when the top three were removed by the young India pace attack after initially showing promise.
Adrian Barath was the first to go, fishing outside off stump to be caught behind off Vinay Kumar for 17. Marlon Samuels was bowled off the pads by Aaron for 10, while Lendl Simmons
