Indo-Asian News Service
Kolkata, March 10: India rode on a swashbuckling half century by Rohit Sharma (98 n o, 57b, 9×4, 7×6) and then followed it up with a disciplined bowling effort to beat West Indies by 45 runs in a World Twenty 20 warm-up game at the Eden Gardens here Thursday.
Indian pacer Mohammed Shami (2/30) impressed in his comeback from injury. Chasing India’s score of 185/6, West Indies got off on a canter as Chris Gayle and Johnson Charles belted 36 runs in the first three overs. However, their merriment ended soon as pacer Jasprit Bumrah castled Gayle (18) and Charles (20) followed his partner soon after.
Thereafter, the Indian bowlers kept chipping away wickets at regular intervals. It looked like the West Indies batsmen had come out with the motto to hit out or get out. Each of them perished trying to play the big shot. The innings finally folded up
for 140.
Earlier in the evening, it was Rohit and Dhawan who opened the innings for the hosts. The latter took on the West Indies bowlers in the first few overs.