Team India had a field day in the bowling department during the first ODI against the West Indies at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Thursday.
Opting to bowl after winning the toss, Rohit Sharma’s decision proved to be spot-on as the West Indies batting lineup crumbled like a house of cards, posting a meager total of 114. It’s worth noting that this was an ODI match. Despite missing their first-choice pacers – Bumrah, Shami, and Siraj – and the senior leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, the Indian bowling attack delivered a remarkable performance.
The West Indies’ recent struggles in the World Cup 2023 Qualifiers, with losses to Zimbabwe, Netherlands, and Scotland, can be attributed to their dismal batting display witnessed in this match.
The West Indies batsmen lacked both technique and temperament, with opener Kyle Mayers’ ill-advised shot in the third over setting off a chain reaction of wickets falling. Kuldeep Yadav, in particular, was outstanding, taking a four-wicket haul, conceding just 6 runs in his three overs, and cleaning up the tail.
Among the pacers, Hardik Pandya, debutant Mukesh Kumar, and Shardul Thakur each claimed a wicket, while left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja bagged three wickets. Only Umran Malik, who bowled three overs for 17 runs, remained wicketless. The Indian bowling unit’s cohesive effort and skillful execution made it an easy victory for Team India in the end.
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The situation boiled down to a straightforward ‘you miss, I hit’ scenario, made even more apparent by Hetmyer’s disastrous shot. Ravindra Jadeja, being astute, capitalized on such generously presented chances to take a wicket. His skill and awareness made it impossible for him to let go of such a gift from the batsman.