Rohit, Bishnoi help India beat West Indies in first T20

KOLKATA, AFP: Skipper Rohit Sharma’s opening blitz and a strong bowling performance from debutant Ravi Bishnoi helped India down the West Indies by six wickets in the first Twenty20 international in Kolkata on Wednesday.

Chasing 158 for victory, Rohit’s 40 off 19 balls put India in control and the hosts achieved their target with seven balls to spare to take the lead in the three-match series.

Bishnoi impressed with his leg-spin, taking 2-17 from his four overs to restrict West Indies to 157 for seven despite Nicholas Pooran’s attacking 61.

West Indies off-spinner Roston Chase proved to be a big hurdle in India’s chase as he returned figures of 2-14, including the key wickets of openers Rohit and Ishan Kishan.

But Suryakumar Yadav stood firm and smashed 34 not out off 18 deliveries to take the team home with Venkatesh Iyer, who hit the winning six in his unbeaten, 13-ball 24.

Earlier, Rohit took the attack to the opposition bowlers as he hit four fours and three sixes but mistimed a hit to the deep mid-wicket fielder where Odean Smith took a good catch.

The left-handed Kishan, who was bought for a whopping $ 2 million by Mumbai Indians in the IPL auction last Saturday, struggled on his way to 35 before falling to Chase.

Virat Kohli’s poor run extended into the T20 format as he fell to Fabian Allen for 17. He had scores of eight, 18 and nought in India’s ODI clean-sweep of the West Indies.

The second match is today, with all the games to be played at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.