Skipper Virat Kohli on Sunday hailed his partnership with Rohit Sharma after the pair hit centuries to lead India’s eight-wicket demolition of the West Indies in the first one-day international in Guwahati.
Kohli, who made 140, and Sharma, who remained unbeaten on 152, put on 246 runs for the second wicket as the hosts chased down 323 and romped home with 47 balls to spare.
India, who swept the two-Test series against the tourists, lead the five-match series 1-0.
Photo: AP
“Feels pretty good. A convincing win. I thought West Indies were really good with the bat and 320-plus totals are always tricky, but we knew it’s all about one partnership and life isn’t difficult when Rohit is at the other end,” Kohli said. “It’s our fifth or sixth double-century partnership, it’s a pleasure to bat with him.”
The effort from Kohli and Sharma easily overshadowed a dominant 106 by West Indies batsman Shermon Hetmyer in his team’s 322-8 after being put into bat.
In reply, India lost opener Shikhar Dhawan in just the second over of the innings after he was bowled by debutant paceman Oshane Thomas.
Kohli then took charge with Sharma, who was happy playing second fiddle to his in-form captain, as the duo put on India’s biggest-ever one-day stand against the West Indies for any wicket.
The skipper built on his quickfire half-century to get his 36th one-day ton in just 88 deliveries, hitting Kemar Roach for a four to make the three-figure mark amid loud cheers from a packed home crowd.
Sharma, who was relatively quiet until his captain reached 100, soon got cracking and reached his century with a four off spinner Ashley Nurse.
The two marauding batsmen started to toy with the opposition bowlers before Devendra Bishoo got Kohli stumped against the run of play.
Sharma went on to hit the winning six with Ambati Rayudu, who finished the innings unbeaten on 22, at the other end.
The West Indies had their moments when Hetmyer smashed six fours and six sixes during his 78-ball knock to give his side what looked like a competitive total.
“Pleased with the guys for the batting effort. Hetmyer batted exceptionally well,” skipper Jason Holder said. “We could have got a bit more had he carried on for five, six more overs, but this is a young team and we will learn.”
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was