Rampaging Windies post 245/6 against India

Fort Lauderdale (US), Aug 27 (PTI) A hapless Indianbowlers were mercilessly hammered for a record 21 sixes as theWest Indies posted the third highest ever T20 Internationalinnings score of 245 for 6 in a sensational batting display bythe Caribbeans in the first of the two Twenty20 match heretoday. Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s decision to insertthe opposition in backfired as the West Indies batsmen rained13 fours and 21 sixes on a flat pitch at Lauderhill ground.None of the Indian bowlers came out unscathed as they werebutchered by the batting pyrotechnics of the world champions. The earlier highest number of sixes in an innings was 19hit by Netherlands against Ireland in 2014. Today’s 245 for 6 was the third highest innings totalbehind 260/6 scored by Sri Lanka against Kenya in 2007 and248/6 by Australia against England in 2013. This was thehighest ever T20 International score against India by anyteam, surpassing the 219 for 4 by South Africa in Johannesburgin March 2012. Rookie opener Evin Lewis, playing in his only second T20International, hit 100 (49 balls; 5×4, 9×6) and shared 126runs for the first wicket from a mere 9.3 overs with JohnsonCharles (79 of 33 balls; 6×4, 7×6) led the mauling of Indianbowlers. Lewis also hit the fifth fastest hundred as he reachedthe milestone in just 48 balls. At one time, it looked like the West Indians would runaway with the highest ever T20 International score as theyreached 199 for 1 at the end of 15 overs but India made fine acomeback in the final five overs, conceding just 46 runs andtaking five wickets in the process. Except for Ravichandran Ashwin (0/36), all the other fivebowlers went for more than 10 runs an over. Ravindra Jadejaand Jasprit Bumrah got two wickets each while conceding 39(from 3 overs) and 47 runs (from 4 overs) respectively. The beginning was ominous for India as Mohammed Shamigave away 17 runs in the first over itself with Charlessmashing him for a six and two boundaries. Shami was taken offand Bumrah was introduced in the third over. The West Indies continued to score at a brisk pace withBhuvneshwar Kumar conceding 20 runs in his first two overs.Bumrah was also taken to task with Lewis hoisting him for twosixes and a four to amass 18 runs from the fifth over. The Caribbeans reached to their 50 in just 4.1 overs andthe Indians were left to bring in Ashwin into the attack inthe sixth over. PTI PDSPDS