Virat Kohli's 94* powers India to victory against the Windies in the first T20
By Anurag Mallick Published on 7 Dec 2019 6:55 AM GMT
Hyderabad: India and Westindies started off in whats known as a battle of heavyweights especially in the shortest format of the game with the first T20 played at Hyderabad as Virat Kohli lead India to an emphatic with a career-best 94* as India chased down the target of 208 in the given 20 overs.
The Indian Captain won the toss and elected to bowl first as the Windies openers Evin Lewis and Lendl Simmons started off the innings. Simmons was soon caught by Rohit as Evin Lewis went off to a flying start by scoring 40(17). The windies Batsmen kept scoring the boundaries at regular Intervals as they brought up their 200 with contributions from Shimron Hetmyer scoring his maiden T20I fifty, Kieron pollard scoring 37 and Jason Holder scoring a quickfire 23.
India had a record target of 208 to chase and win the first T20 of the 3-match series. Rohit Sharma fell for 8 to Khary Pierre. The Indian Skipper walked in to bat as India had a mountain target to chase. KL Rahul and Virat Kohli then stitched a wonderful 100-run partnership as India stabled their ship and matched the required run-rate.
KL Rahul then got out for 62 to Khary Pierre as Virat Kohli took the lead and started hitting boundaries of the bad deliveries. He targeted Jason Holder and Kesrick Williams and hit the boundaries. It was a visual treat for all the people watching as Virat Kohli single-handedly powered India to an emphatic win by scoring his career-best T20 score of 94* with six fours and 6 sixes and a strike rate of 188 as the aggressive side of the skipper saw the Windies bow down to the Indian batting maestro.
His 'notebook celebration' to Kesrick Williams as he hit him for 3 sixes brought the entire nation to their feet as they applauded yet another Virat Kohli Master class.
It was also India's highest-ever successful run-chase in the shortest format of the game as India won the first T20 with 8 balls to spare.
Virat Kohli was adjudged the Man of the Match for his career-best 94* as India took a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series.
The second T20 among the two teams is set to be played at the Greenfield International Stadium in Trivandrum on Sunday.
