If bowlers had not quite come to terms with the fact they are here only to play second fiddle in present day limited-overs cricket, then the first T20I between India and West Indies at Lauderhill might be enough to convince them.
On a pitch which kept on encouraging stroke-play under any circumstances, batsmen from both teams looted a record 489 runs between them. Despite an inspired effort from KL Rahul and the presence of skipper MS Dhoni in the final over, Dwayne Bravo somehow managed to pull the rug under India’s feet at the very last moment by showcasing his adaptability.
The thrilling one-run heist actually reiterated why the Caribbean outfit have been acquainted with the shortest format for quite some time. Armed with a batting lineup which continues to adopt the classic see-ball-hit-ball approach, their heavy artillery seems to devour most opposition.
However, the downside of stacking their playing eleven with hitters should correspond to an inevitable weakness in the bowling department. In what is likely to be another batting shoot-out, they have thrown the gauntlet on India’s top-order who now have to fire on all cylinders and take advantage or else surrender the 2-match series.
Match Details:
Venue – Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground in Lauderhill, Florida
Date – 28th August 2016 (Sunday)
Time – 1000 local/1400 GMT (1930 IST)
Broadcast – Star Sports 1, 3 and HD 1, 3
Online Stream – StarSports.com
Recent Form:
India – LWWLL
West Indies – WWLWW
Team Talk
India
Even as the seam bowlers got dispatched to all corners of the stadium, the resolve shown by his spinners may offer some solace for Dhoni. With the seasoned skipper renowned for sticking to the same combination despite public sentiment or logic, an unchanged eleven should not come across as a surprise.
However, Stuart Binny’s horrific over which came at the hefty price of 32 runs could force the team management in reconsidering the idea of going in with an extra batsman in the place of a half and half all-rounder.
West Indies
Although a victory by the narrowest of all margins provided a perfect launching pad for his leadership skills, Carlos Brathwaite might expect a better showing from himself with both bat and ball.
Perhaps, the only disappointment for the packed house was the absence of Chris Gayle due to an injury. If the big man recovers sufficiently in time, then the think tank may have a problem of plenty on their hands.
Possible Lineups
India
Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane/Stuart Binny, MS Dhoni (c) (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar/Umesh Yadav, Mohammad Shami and Jasprit Bumrah
West Indies
Johnson Charles, Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Marlon Samuels, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Fletcher (wk), Carlos Brathwaite (c), Sunil Narine and Samuel Badree
Conditions Watch
Even though showers were forecast prior to the first T20I, the weather mostly remained warm and pleasant. Therefore, it might not be far-fetched to expect more of the same for today as well.
But, there are definitely no hassles to predict how the pitch could behave. With another batting paradise awaiting the bowlers, the respite that they have been yearning for may not be granted.
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