Kohli, Sharma demolish West Indies in first ODI

By AFP

October 22, 2018

GUWAHATI, India: Skipper Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma hit sparkling centuries on Sunday to lead India’s eight-wicket thrashing of West Indies in the first One-day International in Guwahati.

Kohli made 140 and Sharma scored an unbeaten 152 for a record 246-run partnership to flay the West Indies bowling attack during their team’s 323-run chase.The hosts, who swept the two-Test series against the visiting Caribbean side, romped home with 47 balls to spare.

The effort from Kohli and Sharma easily overshadowed a dominant 106 by West Indies batsman Shermon Hetmyer in his team’s 322-8 after being put into bat first. In reply, India lost opener Shikhar Dhawan in just the second over of the innings after he was bowled by debutant fast bowler Oshane Thomas.

Kohli then took charge with Sharma, who was happy playing second fiddle to his in-form captain, as the duo put on India’s biggest-ever ODI stand against West Indies for any wicket.The skipper built on his quickfire fifty to get his 36th ODI ton in just 88 deliveries, hitting Roach for a boundary to make the three-figure mark amid loud cheers from a packed home crowd.

Sharma, who was relatively quiet till his captain’s 100, soon got cracking and reached his century with a boundary off spinner Ashley Nurse.The two marauding batsmen started to toy with the opposition bowlers before Devendra Bishoo got Kohli stumped against the run of play. Kohli smashed 21 fours and 2 sixes.

Sharma went on to hit the winning six with Ambati Rayudu, who remained unbeaten on 22, at the other end.West Indies had their moments in the game when Hetmyer smashed six fours and six sixes during his 78-ball knock to give his side what looked like a competitive total.

Leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal claimed three wickets, returning impressive figures of 3-41 from his 10 overs, to check West Indies’ surge.Hetmye built crucial partnerships including a 60-run sixth wicket stand with skipper Jason Holder, who made 38.Bishoo, on 22, and Kemar Roach, on 26, put on 44 runs for their ninth wicket unbeaten stand to take West Indies well past the 300-run mark.

India won toss

West Indies

K Powell c Dhawan b Khalil 51

C Hemraj b Shami 9

†S Hope c Dhoni b Shami 32

M Samuels lbw b Chahal 0

S Hetmyer c Pant b Jadeja 106

R Powell b Jadeja 22

*J Holder b Chahal 38

A Nurse lbw b Chahal 2

D Bishoo not out 22

K Roach not out 26