1st T20I: India gets 96 runs target against West Indies
Lauderhill (USA), Aug 3: Debutant pacer Navdeep Saini claimed three wickets in an impressive spell as India restrict a reckless West Indies to a paltry 95 for 9 in their first T20 International match here on Saturday.
Opting to field, all the six Indian bowlers got at least a wicket apiece with Saini returning with figures of 3/17 in his debut match. The Indians were also helped by the reckless approach of West Indian batsmen.
There was no substantive partnership in the West Indies innings with the highest being the 34 between captain Carlos Brathwaite (9) and top-scorer Kieron Pollard (49) for the sixth wicket. Nicholas Pooran (20) was the only other West Indies batsman to score double digit figures.
India opened bowling with off-spinner Washington Sundar (1/18) and got a wicket in the second ball itself with John Campbell slapping straight to deep midwicket fielder Krunal Pandya.
The other opener Evin Lewis fell in the second over with pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/19) beating him with a knuckle ball to rattle his timber. Both the openers failed to open their accounts as the West Indies were reduced to 8/2.
Despite the two quick wickets, the West Indians continued to be aggressive in their approach and Saini exploited the situation by claiming two wickets in two balls in the fifth over.
Pooran, who was looking dangerous after hitting two sixes, went for a big shot but the ball ballooned up in the air for wicketkeeper Rishab Pant to take an easy catch. Shimron Hetmyer (0) then dragged the ball onto the stump for Saini's second wicket.
West Indies procession to the dressing room continued with Rovman Powell (4) felling to Khaleel Ahmed (1/8) the next over 6th as they were reduced to 33 for 5 at the end of Powerplay.
Pollard and Brathwaite curbed their attacking instincts for a while and played some sensible cricket to remain united for eight wickets during which they added 34 runs.
Brathwaite and Sunil Narine got dismissed in the 15th and 16th overs respectively as West Indies could touch 100 in the end.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Three drown after Holi celebration at separate places in Odisha
Bhubaneswar (PTI): At least three persons, including a boy, drowned while taking a bath after celebrating Holi at separate places in Odisha on Wednesday, police said.
While two incidents took place in Jajpur district, the third one happened in Cuttack district.
A report from Jajpur said that a man, identified as Sangram Ajitabh Das (40) of Padmapur area under Jajpur Road police limits, drowned while bathing in the Kharasrota river after the celebration of Holi in Byasanagar area in the afternoon.
His body was recovered and sent for postmortem examination.
In another incident from the same district, a youth identified as Hiranya Kumar Behuria of Bari area, also drowned in the Brahmani river at Khari Padia in Jajpur.
A report from Cuttack district said that a boy, identified as Jeevan Behera, drowned while bathing in the Mahanadi river in Baramba area along with friends. He was swept away by the river current, police said.
Fire Service personnel found the minor and took him to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival, police said.
