West Indies put up a brave fight but fell three runs short in a high-scoring first ODI against a depleted <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/india-cricket/" target="_blank">Indian</a> side in Port of Spain on Friday. Shikhar Dhawan top-scored for India with a fine knock of 97 as they made 308-7. In the second innings, the West Indies top order came good to keep the home team in the hunt. They needed 15 runs off the last over but excellent yorkers from fast bowler Mohammed Siraj limited Romario Shepherd and Akeal Hossain to 11. Earlier, a 117-run stand for the second wicket between opener Kyle Mayers (75) and Shamarh Brooks (46) gave West Indies the ideal launch. All-rounder Shardul Thakur got Brooks to pull straight to a fielder on 46, and got Mayers in his next over giving a thick edge behind. Mayers hit 75 off 68 balls. West Indies needed 90 runs off the last 10 overs and Brandon King kept their hopes alive with his third ODI fifty. Shepherd, 38 not out off 25 balls, and Hossain, 32 not out, kept the chase alive but expert bowling by leg-spinner Yuzvendral Chahal and Siraj, who took two wickets each, sealed the game. In the first innings, India captain Dhawan and Shubman Gill gave their side a strong start. Gill reached his first fifty in ODIs, in 36 balls, followed by Dhawan in 53 balls. They had added 119 when Gill ran himself out by underestimating the speed of West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran. He made 64 from 53 balls. The scoring slowed down but Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer took India past 200 and Dhawan was on the brink of his 18th ODI century when he slashed straight to a fielder. Iyer also reached fifty, his 10th, but was out to a brilliant one-handed catch by Pooran. The West Indies bowlers pulled back their pace and lengths and pegged back India to 83 runs off the last 15 overs on a pitch that slowed down. "We had a few nerves obviously towards the end of the match and maybe we didn't stick to our plans as well as we should have because if we had done so, especially with a few runs given away on the leg-side, the game would have been over as a contest earlier," Dhawan said after the match. "It's a bittersweet feeling," Pooran said. "We've been talking about batting 50 overs and we did it this time but came up short. "Still, we really competed well against one of the best teams in the world and we need to keep on improving against this type of opposition if we want to get our ODI cricket back on track." India decided to rest captain Rohit Sharma, key batsman Virat Kohli, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, all-rounder Hardik Pandya and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for the series.
