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IND vs WI Ball by Ball Commentary

95/0(13.0 ov)
Yet to bat
IND won the toss and chose to field

Commentary

End of over 133 runs
WI: 95/0CRR: 7.31
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12.6

Ravindra Jadeja to Justin Greaves, 1 run

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Darted in at the pads, Justin turns it square on the leg side for one more run.

1
12.5

Ravindra Jadeja to John Campbell, 1 run

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At 93.7 kph, on a length, on middle and leg. John nurdles it behind square leg and picks up a single.

0
12.4

Ravindra Jadeja to John Campbell, no run

Shorter and on off. John stabs it down from the crease.

0
12.3

Ravindra Jadeja to John Campbell, no run

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Oh, that could have gone anywhere. Pushed through, on a good length, on middle. Campbell advances to flick it away but the ball squirts off the outer half to backward point.

0
12.2

Ravindra Jadeja to John Campbell, no run

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Full and at 90.2 kph, on middle. Campbell steps out and flicks it to mid-wicket.

1
12.1

Ravindra Jadeja to Justin Greaves, 1 run

Angles it in full and on middle. Justin eases it to long off and crosses over.

End of over 123 runs
WI: 92/0CRR: 7.67
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11.6

Naman Dhir to Justin Greaves, 1 run

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Flatter and on a good length, across off. Justin stands tall on top of the bounce and punches it to long off for one.

1
11.5

Naman Dhir to John Campbell, 1 run

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Shorter now, on middle and leg, that is punched off the back foot to long on for a single.

0
11.4

Naman Dhir to John Campbell, no run

Floated up, on middle and leg. John presses forward to work it down the ground but the ball slides on with the angle to go past the inside edge and ping him on the front pad.

9:30 AM IST Oh, what happened there? Campbell pulled out of the shot after noticing Dhir's towel fall to the ground just before releasing the ball. The ball crashes into the stumps, but it is called a dead ball by then. Dhir turns back to reload.
0
11.3

Naman Dhir to John Campbell, no run

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Full and at the sticks. Campbell brings out the sweep and picks out short fine leg.

0
11.2

Naman Dhir to John Campbell, no run

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Half a shout for LBW. Very full, John gets inside the line and pre-empts the sweep but fails to connect. The ball brushes his pad but the Ball Tracking later shows that the ball would have missed the leg pole.

1
11.1

Naman Dhir to Justin Greaves, 1 run

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Begins with a full ball, on middle. Greaves firms the drive to the bowler's right. Dhir dives in that direction but parries it away towards long off for one.

9:27 AM IST It is time for the debutant, Naman Dhir, to roll his arm over. Can he provide the opening breakthrough India are desperately searching for?
End of over 114 runs
WI: 89/0CRR: 8.09
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10.6

Ravindra Jadeja to Justin Greaves, 1 run

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Fractionally short, on middle. Greaves goes deep in the crease and punches it down the ground. Ravindra Jadeja gets across to his right but cannot make the stop. Single taken.

0
10.5

Ravindra Jadeja to Justin Greaves, no run

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Spears it in full, on middle. Justin knocks it back to the bowler.

0
10.4

Ravindra Jadeja to Justin Greaves, no run

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This holds up a bit, on a good length, on middle and leg. Greaves tucks it to mid-wicket.

1
10.3

Ravindra Jadeja to John Campbell, 1 run

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Back to bowling it full, across off. John drives it to long on and gets to the other end.

1
10.2

Ravindra Jadeja to Justin Greaves, 1 run

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Drags the length back, outside off. Greaves taps it to long off and turns the strike over.

1
10.1

Ravindra Jadeja to John Campbell, 1 run

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Flighted up, on middle. Campbell lunges and eases it to long on for a single.

9:23 AM IST Time for Powerplay 2. This has been a really promising start for West Indies, and they will be keen to build on it. India now have the extra protection of 4 fielders outside the 30-yard circle until the 40th over.
End of over 107 runs
WI: 85/0CRR: 8.50
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9.6

Gurnoor Brar to John Campbell, 1 run

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Around the leg stump, on a good length, John Campbell tickles it behind to the left of deep fine leg for a single. West Indies end the first Powerplay on a very strong note. They are 85/0.

0
9.5

Gurnoor Brar to John Campbell, no run

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Fuller and around off, John strokes it away to mid off.

WD
9.5

Gurnoor Brar to John Campbell, 1 run

WIDE! For height! Gurnoor comes from over the stumps now and bangs it into the pitch. It is too short and outside off and Campbell misses to pull it away.

4
9.4

Gurnoor Brar to John Campbell, 4 runs

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FOUR! Absolutely punished! Much fuller, outside off, angling in. John Campbell gets on the front foot and smacks it through cover and mid off for a boundary.

0
9.3

Gurnoor Brar to John Campbell, no run

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Tightens the line around off, on a length, Campbell guides it to gully.

1
9.2

Gurnoor Brar to Justin Greaves, 1 run

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A smidge full and on middle and leg, Greaves knocks it wide of mid on for a single.

0
9.1

Gurnoor Brar to Justin Greaves, no run

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Play and a miss! Hits the deck hard, outside off, Justin Greaves looks to cut it square on the off side, but misses to connect.

9:18 AM IST Gurnoor Brar to close out the Powerplay.
End of over 916 runs
WI: 78/0CRR: 8.67
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8.6

Ravindra Jadeja to John Campbell, 6 runs

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SIX MORE! Ominous signs for India already. Another full delivery, outside off, John gets his bat under the ball and, with no intention to keep it down, he launches it miles over long on for a massive six.

6
8.5

Ravindra Jadeja to John Campbell, 6 runs

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SIX! Goes the distance as Campbell cuts loose. Quicker through the air, full and outside the off stump. Campbell clears the front leg and thumps it powerfully over the long fielder. Krishna, lurking down at long on, does leap by stretching his right hand out, but the ball is far from his reach and lands beyond the ropes.

0
8.4

Ravindra Jadeja to John Campbell, no run

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Full, 94.3 kph, around off, John Campbell lunges and defends it to the off side.

4
8.3

Ravindra Jadeja to John Campbell, 4 runs

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FOUR! Nicely done by John. A lot fuller from Jadeja, on middle and leg. John Campbell gets down on a knee and sweeps it over the square leg fielder to pick up a boundary.

0
8.2

Ravindra Jadeja to John Campbell, no run

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Shortish delivery, on middle, spinning in. John nudges it to mid-wicket.

0
8.1

Ravindra Jadeja to John Campbell, no run

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Jadeja starts from around the stumps. Lands it on a length, around leg. Campbell tucks it to mid-wicket.

9:15 AM IST Time for spin as Ravindra Jadeja has been tossed the ball.
End of over 82 runs
WI: 62/0CRR: 7.75
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7.6

Gurnoor Brar to Justin Greaves, no run

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Not that full, not too short either. Greaves lets the ball arrive and knocks it off the back foot to mid on.

0
7.5

Gurnoor Brar to Justin Greaves, no run

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Pitched short on the stumps, Greaves nudges it to the mid on region.

0
7.4

Gurnoor Brar to Justin Greaves, no run

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Short and skidding through, Justin swivels and mistimes the pull shot towards mid-wicket.

1
7.3

Gurnoor Brar to John Campbell, 1 run

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Full and around off, John drives it straight down the ground and the ball is cut off by Gill from mid off. One run taken.

WD
7.3

Gurnoor Brar to John Campbell, 1 run

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WIDE! Way too short over the batter's head. John lets it through to the keeper behind. KL Rahul times his leap to perfection and makes a half stop with his outstretched right hand over his head.

0
7.2

Gurnoor Brar to John Campbell, no run

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Full and straight, on off, John leans forward and defends it out to backward point.

0
7.1

Gurnoor Brar to John Campbell, no run

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Attacks the stumps from around the stump, full in length, Campbell tucks it to the leg side.

End of over 712 runs
WI: 60/0CRR: 8.57
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6.6

Prasidh Krishna to Justin Greaves, 4 runs

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FOUR! Boundaries are flowing fluently for the West Indies. Overcooks this on a fuller length, on off. Justin Greaves presents a full face of the bat and nails the straight drive to the right of mid off for a boundary.

0
6.5

Prasidh Krishna to Justin Greaves, no run

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Back of a length, around off, Justin punches it off the back foot to the cover region. Gaikwad there makes a diving stop to his left.

4
6.4

Prasidh Krishna to Justin Greaves, 4 runs

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FOUR! Splits the gap with optimum timing! Short outside off, Justin frees his arms and cuts it square on the off side and through the gap at backward point for a boundary. Greaves moves to 37 (25).

0
6.3

Prasidh Krishna to Justin Greaves, no run

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Back of a length, on middle. Justin tucks it off the back foot to mid-wicket. He limps a bit as soon as he plays the shot but seems fine to resume for now.

0
6.2

Prasidh Krishna to Justin Greaves, no run

Bends the back and bangs it short on off, Justin ducks underneath it.

4
6.1

Prasidh Krishna to Justin Greaves, 4 runs

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FOUR! Shot of the match so far! Hits the length hard, outside the off stump. Justin Greaves stands tall and crisply punches it through covers for a boundary. That just rifled off the blade and this brings the 50 up for West Indies, in just 6.1 overs.

9:07 AM IST Justin Greaves seems to be feeling the heat, and the physio is out to check on him. His right shin is being strapped up, so this could be a pre-existing issue. Justin is ready to resume.
End of over 610 runs
WI: 48/0CRR: 8.00
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5.6

Gurnoor Brar to John Campbell, no run

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Bashes the length hard, 142.7 kph, on middle, Campbell blocks it solidly off the back foot to the leg side. 10 runs off the over.

4
5.5

Gurnoor Brar to John Campbell, 4 runs

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FOUR! Expertly played! Gurnoor comes from around the stumps. On a short of a length, on top of off, John Campbell rocks back, lets the ball arrive, uses the pace and guides the ball past the man at slip and it races away to the fence in a flash.

1
5.4

Gurnoor Brar to Justin Greaves, 1 run

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Angles it into the batter on a length, Justin Greaves hangs back and nudges it wide of the mid-wicket fielder for a quick single.

1
5.3

Gurnoor Brar to John Campbell, 1 run

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A little bit of extra room on a length, John cuts it behind square on the off side for a single.

4
5.2

Gurnoor Brar to John Campbell, 4 runs

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FOUR! Edged away! On a good length, angling outside off with bounce. John Campbell slashes and slashes very hard on the back foot. Gets a massive outside edge and the ball flies over the slip fielder for a boundary.

0
5.1

Gurnoor Brar to John Campbell, no run

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Slightly short on the stumps, 142.1 kph, John Campbell gets a bit squared up and taps it out to cover-point.

End of over 53 runs
WI: 38/0CRR: 7.60
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4.6

Prasidh Krishna to Justin Greaves, no run

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Attacks the off stump at 135.2 kph, full in length, Justin responds with a confident front-foot block to the off side. He is seeing the ball really well, is Greaves.

0
4.5

Prasidh Krishna to Justin Greaves, no run

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Bowls it full and outside the off stump, Greaves strides forward for a cover drive but mistimes the shot off the inner half of his bat and it rolls to mid off.

0
4.4

Prasidh Krishna to Justin Greaves, no run

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At 138.6 kph, on a good length, on off, Greaves punches it crisply and on the bounce to backward point.

0
4.3

Prasidh Krishna to Justin Greaves, no run

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Short of a length, around off, Greaves stands up on his toes and knocks it to backward point.

2
4.2

Prasidh Krishna to Justin Greaves, 2 runs

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Fuller in length on middle and leg, Justin Greaves whips it wide of square leg and they scamper back for the second run.

1
4.1

Prasidh Krishna to John Campbell, 1 run

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Back of a length, cutting back into the batter. John Campbell has a tentative poke at it but gets an inside edge. The ball rolls past the leg stump towards short fine leg for a single.

End of over 411 runs
WI: 35/0CRR: 8.75
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3.6

Gurnoor Brar to Justin Greaves, 4 runs

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FOUR! Glorious shot! Hits the deck hard, does Brar, outside off, Justin Greaves rides the bounce and knocks it to the left of the fielder at point for a cracking boundary.

0
3.5

Gurnoor Brar to Justin Greaves, no run

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Nagging length, around off, tapped off the back foot to the off side.

0
3.4

Gurnoor Brar to Justin Greaves, no run

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Cannons in a good length, angling on the leg stump. Greaves is rushed on the shot, looking to tuck it to the leg side, but the ball clips the thigh pad on its way to the keeper.

2
3.3

Gurnoor Brar to Justin Greaves, 2 runs

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Full and outside the off stump. Greaves drives it between cover and point. Jadeja from point chases it down and stops the ball with a slide in the outfield. Two runs taken.

4
3.2

Gurnoor Brar to Justin Greaves, 4 runs

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EDGED AND FOUR! Nearly a wicket for Brar. He bowls it a touch full and outside the off stump, forcing the batter to play at it. The ball lands and moves away as Justin tries to drive it straight, but gets a thick outside edge. It flies wide of Rohit Sharma at a wide slip and beats his dive to his right for a boundary.

WD
3.2

Gurnoor Brar to Justin Greaves, 1 run

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WIDE! Sprays it down the leg stump on a fuller length, 143.2 kph. Justin fails to connect his flick. KL Rahul moves to his left to grab the ball.

0
3.1

Gurnoor Brar to Justin Greaves, no run

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Starts with a good-length delivery that rises up. Justin rocks back and tucks it to mid on.

8:49 AM IST Nitish Kumar Reddy has been taken out of the attack after an expensive first over. Gurnoor Brar comes on as the first change.
End of over 35 runs
WI: 24/0CRR: 8.00
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2.6

Prasidh Krishna to John Campbell, 4 runs

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FOUR! Gets it through! Hits the deck hard, outside off, John Campbell appears to be withdrawing his bat to leave, but gets a fraction late in doing so. The ball takes the edge and shoots to the left of the diving second slip fielder. Gurnoor Brar from deep third sprints to his right and slides, but his effort goes in vain.

0
2.5

Prasidh Krishna to John Campbell, no run

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Keeps hammering the good length, outside off, testing the batter's patience. Campbell stubbornly makes the leave.

0
2.4

Prasidh Krishna to John Campbell, no run

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Slanting outside off, on a length. Let through by John.

0
2.3

Prasidh Krishna to John Campbell, no run

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Angling across the southpaw, on a good length, John Campbell resists his temptation to poke at it and withdraws his bat inside the line to leave.

WD
2.3

Prasidh Krishna to John Campbell, 1 run

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WIDE! A slight appeal for caught behind, but not given. Back of a length, down the leg stump. John Campbell misses the tickle, and the ball carries through to KL Rahul behind.

0
2.2

Prasidh Krishna to John Campbell, no run

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Similar line and length and John rocks back and stabs it to covers.

0
2.1

Prasidh Krishna to John Campbell, no run

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Hits the bail-trimming length, on top of off, John rides the bounce and dabs it down to backward point.

End of over 218 runs
WI: 19/0CRR: 9.50
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1.6

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Justin Greaves, no run

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Another full ball that nips in a touch, on the leg stump. Justin drives it down to mid on. 18 runs off the over and the West Indies are off to a productive start.

4
1.5

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Justin Greaves, 4 runs

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FOUR! He is feasting on those half-volleys. Too full again from Nitish, outside off. Justin Greaves gets on the front foot and cracks the cover drive through the gap for a boundary. Not a great start for Reddy.

0
1.4

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Justin Greaves, no run

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At 130.7 kph, this is bashed hard into the pitch, on middle, Greaves hangs back and bunts it down the track.

4
1.3

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Justin Greaves, 4 runs

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FOUR! Greaves on a roll! A bit too straight, on the pads, on a fuller length. Justin Greaves flicks it to the leg side, through vacant square leg for a boundary.

4
1.2

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Justin Greaves, 4 runs

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FOUR! Up and over! Low full toss from Nitish, on off, Justin Greaves stands deep inside the crease, gets under the ball nicely and heaves it over wide mid on for a boundary.

5NB
1.2

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Justin Greaves, 5 runs

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FOUR! Really encouraging shot! A half-volley that swings away from the batter, full in length. Justin Greaves leans on it and fluently drives it through the gap between extra cover and mid off for a boundary. Oh, Reddy has overstepped and the umpire signals No Ball. Free Hit up next.

LB
1.1

Nitish Kumar Reddy to John Campbell, 1 run

Hoops in from middle to leg, on a fuller length. John Campbell misses the flick, and the ball deflects off the front pad towards short fine leg, with KL Rahul giving it a chase. They get a leg bye.

8:39 AM IST This is interesting. Not Gurnoor Brar, but Nitish Kumar Reddy has been handed the other new ball.
End of over 11 run
WI: 1/0CRR: 1.00
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0.6

Prasidh Krishna to Justin Greaves, no run

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Beaten! A little bit of away movement with some bounce off the track. On a length, outside off, Greaves has a loose slash at the outgoing ball and is beaten on the outside edge. Just a single from the opening over.

0
0.5

Prasidh Krishna to Justin Greaves, no run

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Nips in slightly, on a length, Justin Greaves gets behind the line and solidly blocks it down the pitch.

0
0.4

Prasidh Krishna to Justin Greaves, no run

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On a back of a length, on top of off, Justin trusts the bounce and lets it go through to the keeper.

1
0.3

Prasidh Krishna to John Campbell, 1 run

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West Indies and Campbell are off the mark! Pitched fuller now, on off, Campbell presses half-forward and strokes it in front of mid off and they dash off for a quick single.

0
0.2

Prasidh Krishna to John Campbell, no run

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Swing and a miss! Krishna angles the ball across the left-hander, on a good length. John Campbell doesn't move his feet at all and throws his bat to cut it square, but the ball kicks up and keeps leaving him to beat his angled bat.

0
0.1

Prasidh Krishna to John Campbell, no run

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'Skiddy' starts on the money. Hits the deck hard, as he preferably does, around off. John Campbell rides the bounce and taps it to the backward point region.

8:34 AM IST We are done with the pre-match formalities, and it is time for the game to commence at India's southernmost cricket stadium. It is a hot and humid afternoon, which will be a test for those on the field. Shubman Gill and his men disperse from the huddle. It will be the left-hand, right-hand combination of John Campbell and Justin Greaves to open the innings for West Indies. Prasidh Krishna has the new ball and is ready at the top of his mark. Prasidh to Campbell. Two slips in place. Off we go...
8:27 AM IST On this blockbuster Sunday, with three men's ODIs scheduled to take place across different parts of the world, the action is about to get underway in Thiruvananthapuram. But before that, the two teams line up for the national anthems. First up will be the West Indies anthem. That will be followed by India's national song and then the national anthem, as is the new norm.
8:08 AM IST India (Playing XI) - Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (C), Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul (WK), Naman Dhir, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Gurnoor Brar and Prasidh Krishna. On ODI debut ​​- Naman Dhir.
8:12 AM IST West Indies (Playing XI) - John Campbell, Justin Greaves, Keacy Carty, Shai Hope (C/WK), Amir Jangoo, Jewel Andrew, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales.
8:15 AM IST The captain of West Indies - Shai Hope says they probably would have batted, but quickly adds that it doesn't matter what they do. He notes it is a quick turnaround after the CPL, but says his team is eager to test itself against the best in the world. Also adds that they have been playing some really good cricket in this format in the last couple of years and stresses the need to replicate that against India. When he is asked what it would take for them to beat India, Hope states that West Indies would need to post a good total, with batting conditions expected to improve in the evening and also expects that they will get the job done with the ball. Adds that they have enjoyed the conditions in Thiruvananthapuram, describing the venue as the closest thing to the Caribbean, despite having had little time to explore the city. On the team combination, he informs that they have selected five frontline bowlers and an all-rounder, with two spinners.
8:05 AM IST The Indian captain - Shubman Gill opts to bowl first, saying it looks like a decent surface with a hard base underneath. He expects the ball to come nicely onto the bat under the lights. With around 20 matches to go before the World Cup, Gill says the focus is on assessing different combinations and finding what suits the team best. The weather has been up and down, but he feels the preparations have been good. Informs that they are going with 4 bowlers and 2 all-rounders, with Naman Dhir making his debut.
8:01 AM IST TOSS - It is time for the coin to go up in Thiruvananthapuram. Both the captains, Shubman Gill and Shai Hope, have made their way to the middle. The ever-energetic Ravi Shastri leads the proceedings. Gill gives it a flick. Heads is the call from Hope, but it lands as Tails. India have elected to BOWL first.
8:04 AM IST PITCH REPORT - Former India batter Abhinav Mukund gives his assessment of the conditions. He mentions that the temperature is in the early 30s. Informs that pitch number 4 is being used today, with square boundaries measuring 65 metres on either side and 74 metres straight down the ground. It looks like a red-soil surface at first glance, but it is actually a black-soil pitch brought in from Karnataka. Daren Ganga joins him and observes that there is minimal grass covering on the surface. He says the pitch looks hard, which should make for good batting and allow the ball to come nicely onto the bat. Ganga also points out that since the rule of using one ball from the 35th over was introduced, the amount of swing in the final 10 overs has increased. Mukund shares that there has been no dew over the last two or three days, and with anti-dew measures also in place, he does not expect it to be much of a factor tonight.
7:56 AM IST Debut alert - We are hearing that Naman Dhir is set to make his ODI debut, marking a significant milestone in his rising career. He received his debut cap from the Indian skipper, Shubman Gill a few while ago.
7:47 AM IST Big hopes on the skipper - Much depends on Shai Hope for the tourists. The West Indies skipper averages 74.1 in ODIs on Indian soil, the highest among his compatriots, including three hundreds and three half-centuries in 14 innings. He will be expected to guide a talented but still developing batting line-up through the pressure of facing India at home. Can the Men in Maroon challenge India's home dominance? Or will the Men in Blue continue to rule with an iron fist? We shall find out soon. Stay tuned for the toss and teams.
7:43 AM IST The final odyssey begins - Virat Kohli has dominated headlines over the last couple of days, confirming that the 2027 World Cup will be his last. But there's a lot of road left, and one milestone sits closer than most. Just 59 runs stand between him and 15,000 ODI runs. Throw in his numbers against West Indies specifically in ODIs, with 11 fifties, 9 centuries, an average of 66.50, and this series looks tailor-made for that illustrious figure. Should he get there, which in all likelihood he would, it will make him only the second batter after Sachin Tendulkar to reach that mark in this format.
7:50 AM IST Dilemmas and depth - India had a brief scare yesterday when captain Shubman Gill left the net session after taking a blow to his right elbow. However, he has been cleared to play, but India still have a few selection puzzles to solve. With Hardik Pandya unavailable, and Shreyas Iyer away on captaincy duty at the Asian Games, India must find the right option at No. 4 while also covering the sixth-bowling slot. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Nitish Kumar Reddy are among the candidates who could provide the desired balance. West Indies, meanwhile, have plenty of variety in their attack. Though they lack a left-arm quick, Alzarri Joseph leads a capable pace group, while their spin department offers an intriguing mix. The experienced Gudakesh Motie and Roston Chase bring control and know-how, while Vitel Lawes adds fresh variety.
7:45 AM IST Bigger picture - India's stranglehold over the West Indies in this format in this century is well-documented. The last time they lost an ODI series to the Caribbean side goes all the way back to 2006, and nothing since has come close to shaking that record. But 2026 has been a rough year for the Men in Blue. They have played three ODI series so far. Two of them ended in defeat, one at home against New Zealand, one away in England. The record against West Indies hasn't budged an inch. But the team defending it walks in on the back of a shaky run, not the ironclad form that record suggests.
7:36 AM IST A long road - FYI, automatic World Cup qualification hinges on where teams sit in the ICC ODI rankings on September 30. The top eight get in straight away, barring co-hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe. Afghanistan and England are the latest to lock in their spots, and that's exactly what's left West Indies chasing shadows. Currently 10th, with only two ODIs before the cutoff, even a perfect two wins from two wouldn't lift them into the automatic zone. So the road ahead runs through the Qualifiers instead, a longer, tougher route to the same destination.
7:40 AM IST The rehearsal begins - 372 days. That's the gap between now and the 2027 ODI World Cup, and it's already shaping how every team plans its next twelve months. West Indies are the latest to walk into that conversation, touching down in India for a highly intense three-match series starting in the 'Evergreen City of India'. Thiruvananthapuram gets first hosting duties, before the series shifts to Guwahati and then New Chandigarh. A bilateral series on paper, but a World Cup audition in practice. On that note, hello and welcome to one and all. Hop along with us in this exciting ride.
7:30 AM IST ... MATCH DAY ...
2:37 AM IST The 2027 World Cup build-up begins - The road to the 2027 ODI World Cup is already taking shape, and India and West Indies begin another important chapter when they meet in the first of three ODIs at the Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. With just over a year to go before the showpiece in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, both sides will be looking at this series as an opportunity to test combinations, give players important opportunities and start answering some of the questions that will eventually determine their World Cup squads. For India, the 2027 campaign comes with the memories of the heartbreak of 2023 still relatively fresh. They had reached the final of the ODI World Cup on home soil before losing to Australia, and the period since then has produced a mixed record in bilateral ODI cricket. India have won four ODI series and lost four since that World Cup, although the biggest success in that period came when they lifted the Champions Trophy in 2025. That combination of consistency, setbacks and tournament success makes the next year particularly important as India look to put together a side capable of going one step further in 2027. Gill's India enters a new phase - There has also been a change at the top since the last World Cup, with Shubman Gill taking over the ODI captaincy from Rohit Sharma. Gill has already shown enough in the role to suggest that the transition has been relatively smooth, but this series gives him another opportunity to shape the side in his own way while working alongside an experienced core that includes Rohit and Virat Kohli. The squad, however, does not represent India's strongest possible combination. The Asian Games overlap with this series, leaving Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah unavailable, while Hardik Pandya is still not fit enough to return. That makes the balance of the XI particularly interesting. Nitish Kumar Reddy is the obvious option to fill the pace-bowling all-rounder role, while Ravindra Jadeja gives India experience with both bat and ball. Kuldeep Yadav adds a different threat in the spin department, and the presence of players such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Naman Dhir means there is plenty of competition for places around the established names. This is therefore not simply a series about results. India have a year to identify the players and combinations they want to take into the next World Cup, and the absences here give some of the fringe players a valuable chance to put themselves into that conversation. West Indies have a point to prove - The stakes are arguably more immediate for West Indies. They missed the 2023 ODI World Cup altogether after failing to qualify, a significant setback for a team that once dominated the 50-over format. They will have to come through the Qualifiers again for the 2027 edition, making qualification itself a major part of their ODI plans over the coming year. Another failure to reach the tournament proper would be a significant disappointment for a side still trying to rebuild its standing in the format. Their recent results do not offer much comfort either. West Indies have lost their last four ODI series, with their most recent series victory coming against Pakistan in 2025. That 2-1 triumph was an important one, particularly because it was their first bilateral ODI series win over Pakistan since 1991, but they have been unable to build consistently on that success. They will now have to find a way to compete against an Indian side that sits at the top of the ODI rankings. Shai Hope will lead the side and remains central to their batting plans, with John Campbell returning to the ODI setup and Keacy Carty, Roston Chase and Sherfane Rutherford adding further options. The bowling attack has pace through Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph and Jayden Seales, while Gudakesh Motie provides the main spin option. West Indies have also included younger players such as Jewel Andrew and Vitel Lawes, who impressed in his debut series against New Zealand, giving them an opportunity to assess some of their longer-term options during this tour. Power shift in the rivalry - There is another piece of history that West Indies will be desperate to change. India have dominated this particular ODI contest for years, with West Indies' last ODI series win over India coming all the way back in 2006. That is not merely a short-term run of results but a gap that stretches across multiple generations of players, highlighting just how dramatically the balance of power has shifted in this rivalry. Team form (Last 5 completed ODIs, recent first) - IND - LLWWW | WI - WLLLW. What to expect? There is plenty to keep an eye on once the first ball is bowled. India's makeshift combination will offer several players the chance to make a case for a more permanent role, while West Indies will be keen to show that they can match their opponents across 50 overs and put pressure on an Indian side missing several first-choice options. With both teams having different questions to answer, the opening ODI at Thiruvananthapuram should provide an early indication of which side can adapt better to the conditions and make the most of the opportunities in front of them.
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Match Details

Venue
Sports Hub International Cricket Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram
Toss
India, elected to field
Series
West Indies in India, 3 ODI Series, 2026
Series Period
27 Sep 2026 - 03 Oct 2026
Match Day
27 Sep 2026 - D/N (20 - over match)
Umpires
Jayaraman Madanagopal (IND), Sam Nogajski (AUS) and Sharfuddoula Saikat (BAN)
Match Referee
Prakash Bhatt (IND)
Broadcasting Platform
Star Sports