Shikhar Dhawan hits 97 as India post 308 for 7 in 1st ODI against West Indies

Shikhar Dhawan scored a fine 97 in the first ODI against West Indies. (Pic: BCCI/Twitter)

Team India captain Shikhar Dhawan top-scored with 97 off 99 balls as the visitors posted 308/7 in the first one-dayer against West Indies at Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad on Friday (July 22). After the visitors lost the toss and were sent into bat, Dhawan led from the front, smacking 10 fours and three sixes.

Dhawan and Shubman Gill (64 off 53) got India off to a terrific start, adding 119 for the first wicket in under 18 overs. Shreyas Iyer also chipped in with an impressive 54 off 57. However, West Indies fought back commendably towards the second half of the innings to restrict the Indians.

The stand-in captain got the Indian innings off to a confident start, creaming consecutive fours off Alzarri Joseph in the first over. In the next over, Gill elegantly drove Jayden Seales for a boundary through covers. The runs kept flowing fluently after that as the West Indies bowlers failed to make any kind of impact.

A fantastic fielding performance from WI, but India have a fighting score here. WI need 309 runs to win!

IND: 308-7 (50)

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Gill was more aggressive of the two and brought up his maiden ODI fifty off 36 balls with a single off Kyle Mayers. It needed some lazy bit of running from Gill to end what, until then, had been a sublime knock.

The right-hander worked a back-of-length delivery from Joseph to the right of midwicket and ambled across. Nicholas Pooran caught him napping with a direct hit at the non-striker’s end to catch Gill short of his crease.

Dhawan and Shreyas continued to build on a great platform and took India towards a position of dominance. The latter brought up his team’s 200 in grand style, whacking a free hit from Pooran for a maximum over wide long-on.

West Indies make impressive fightback courtesy excellent catches

After 33 overs, the visitors were well-placed to cross 350, having reached 205 for 1. Dhawan went from 91 to 97 by slog-sweeping Gudakesh Motie for a maximum. However, a brilliant catch by Shamarh Brooks at backward point ended Dhawan’s knock three short of a hundred. The Indian captain slashed a wide delivery from Motie, only for Brooks to take a stunner, leaping to his right.

Shreyas perished to another excellent catch, immediately after crossing his fifty. The batter attempted an inside-out drive off Motie, but Pooran pouched the ball one-handed at cover.

India lost their way following the departure of their two set batters. Suryakumar Yadav (13) chopped on to Akeal Hosein, while Sanju Samson (12) was trapped lbw by Romario Shepherd as he missed his flick.

LBW! #RomarioShepherd strikes, and @IamSanjuSamson is gone for 12.

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Deepak Hooda was dropped before he could open his account but looked completely out of touch in the middle. A run-a-ball 21 by Axar Patel gave India some momentum towards the end. Hooda was eventually cleaned up for 27 off 32 by Joseph in the penultimate over, managing only one four and a six. India scored only 103 runs in the last 17 overs while losing six wickets.