India vs West Indies: Shimron Hetmyer's belligerent knock, Shai Hope's measured ton help Windies clinch first ODI

Chennai: Shimron Hetmyer smashed 139 runs off 106 balls as West Indies beat India by eight wickets in the first One-Day International on Sunday with 13 balls to spare. [caption id=“attachment_7786281” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] India’s Deepak Chahar (right) reacts as West Indies’ Shimron Hetmyer (left) and Shai Hope celebrate a boundary in Chennai, India on Sunday. AP Photo[/caption] Hetmyer hit seven sixes and 11 fours, and put on a 218-run partnership with Shai Hope, who was 102 not out. It was a record ODI stand by West Indies for any wicket against India. West Indies reached 291-2 in 47.5 overs after Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant scored half-centuries to help India score 287-8. Hetmyer showed patience at the start of his innings that paid dividends later with a fifth ODI hundred. Hope, meanwhile, scored his eighth ODI century. India’s bowlers had no response on a pitch that eased off with their fielding letting them down with dropped catches. West Indies lead the three-match series 1-0. Earlier, Pant scored his first ODI half-century, finishing on 71 off 69 balls, after India lost the toss. Pant put on 114 runs with Shreyas Iyer for the fourth wicket. Iyer scored 70 off 88 in his fifth ODI half-century and revived India’s innings after they were initially reduced to 25-2, losing Lokesh Rahul (6) and Virat Kohli (4) in the space of five deliveries. Sheldon Cottrell (2-46) removed both batsmen. Iyer added 55 runs with Rohit Sharma (36) to steady the ship. Sharma was out in the 19th over, caught pulling off Alzarri Joseph (2-45). India had it all to do again but Iyer and Pant calmly took the innings forward. They put on 50 runs off 66 balls. Later, Pant assumed control of the innings as he hit seven fours and a six. The hosts were able to accelerate in the middle overs and crossed 200 in the 29th over. Pant and Iyer scored a combined 100 off 99 balls. Both batsmen fell in the seventies, well short of their respective first ODI tons. Kedar Jadhav then scored 40 off 35 to push India’s score past 250. West Indies conceded 24 extras but managed to hold India below 300. The visitors exceeded the stipulated time to bowl 50 overs by nearly 40 minutes.