Leg-spinner Bishnoi has an impressive debut as India beats Windies

Skipper Rohit Sharma and debutant leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi impressed for India as it defeated West Indies by six wickets in the first T20I at the Eden Gardens here on Wednesday.

Set to chase 158 in the T20I series opener, India got home with seven balls to spare. Opening batter Rohit Sharma (40 off 19 balls, 4 fours, 3 sixes) was at his fluent best and stitched a 64-run partnership with Ishan Kishan for the first wicket.

Kishan (35 off 42 balls, 4 fours) found the going tough in the middle and was sent back to the pavilion by Roston Chase (2/14). While Virat Kohli (17) and Rishabh Pant (8) could not take India home after the flying start provided by Rohit, Suryakumar Yadav (34 not out off 18 balls, 5 fours, 1 six) and Venkatesh Iyer (24 not out off 13 balls, 2 fours, 1 six) did the job.

Earlier, wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran returned to form with a brisk 61 as West Indies recovered from a mid-innings slump to post a fighting 157 for seven. Pooran got back to rhythm in style, scoring his runs off 43 balls with five sixes and four boundaries.

The India spin duo of Bishnoi (2/17) and Yuzvendra Chahal (1/34) derailed the Windies in the middle overs by taking three wickets between them. But, Pooran held on as the visitor unleashed its fury at the death to score 61 runs of the last five overs. Opener Kyle Mayers (31 off 24 balls, 7 fours) and fit-again skipper Kieron Pollard (24 not out off 19 balls, 2 fours, 1 six) were the next best contributors for the away team.

BRIEF SCORES: West Indies 157/7 in 20 overs (N Pooran 61, R Bishnoi 2/17, Harshal 2/37) lost to India 162/4 in 18.5 overs (Rohit 40, I Kishan 35, Suryakumar 34*, Venkatesh 24*, R Chase 2/14)