5 Talking Points from 1st T20I between India and West Indies in the USA
In what was a sensational cricket match and a perfect advertisement for the T20 format, West Indies beat India by 1 run in the highest-scoring ever T20 match. KL Rahul and MS Dhoni were involved in the nailbiting finish, as Dwayne Bravo managed to produce one final trick in the match to get the better of them.
Johnson Charles and Ewin Lewis had given the West Indies batting innings an impetus that the Indians might not have expected, as balls flew to all parks of the American stadium, and it seemed like all sorts of records would be broken.
The most talked about issues from the match:
West Indies’ batting depth
The batting approach that the West Indies brought into the game is exemplary of how teams should go about in the T20 format, with the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground pitch providing ample assistance. Openers Johnson Charles and Evin Lewis realised the value of the wicket and went for their shots straightaway. It was cricket that was supposed to be visiting the USA, but the shots being played looked borrowed from very American game of baseball.
What allowed the openers to go for their shots straight away was how deep their team was batting. Lendl Simmons came in at No.7, Marlon Samuels came in after him at 8. The Caribbean team was packed with batsmen, an approach to the T20 format that sees them currently holding the title of world champions.
Such was the flexibility of the batting order that Andre Russell was promoted to No.3 as the highest ever T20 score beckoned when the first wicket fell in the 10th over. A record 21 sixes were hit in the innings. The final score of 245/6 was the 3rd highest team total in T20Is, a record which stood until the second innings.