In the first T20I of the current West Indies tour of India held in Hyderabad, Indian captain Virat Kohli notched up his 23rd T20I half-century to guide his team to another resounding win.
Despite chasing a challenging target of 208 runs, Kohli faced a rocky start as he struggled to time the ball well while trying to hit big shots. However, he picked up the pace during the latter half of his innings, after maintaining a strike rate of just 100 for the first 20 balls, and took control of the game.
One of the standout moments of Kohli’s innings in the first T20I against West Indies was when he hit a remarkable six off Kesrick Williams’ third delivery in the 16th over. The Indian captain’s masterful use of his wrists to hit the ball over long-on followed by his “Notebook Celebration” was undoubtedly the highlight of his innings.
What made the celebration even more entertaining was the fact that Kohli and Williams had been facing off throughout the Indian innings. Kohli, who was expressive throughout his knock, displayed several emotions throughout the game.
Kohli’s unbeaten 94* (50), which included six fours and six sixes, along with opening batsman Lokesh Rahul’s 62, formed a crucial 100-run partnership for the second wicket that laid the foundation for India’s victory.
Earlier in the match, after winning the toss and electing to field, India restricted West Indies to 207/5 in their 20 overs. Batsman Shimron Hetmyer top-scored for West Indies with 56 (41), featuring two fours and four sixes, after coming in to bat at number four in the sixth over.