Shreyas Iyer ended his long wait for a century in international Twenty20 cricket with a breathtaking display of attacking batting, leading India to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over the West Indies in the opening match of the five-game series in Lucknow.
Chasing 172 for victory, India reached 175 for two in just 14.4 overs, with 32 balls to spare. Iyer remained unbeaten on 100 from 42 deliveries, sealing the match with a single off Roston Chase in the following ball of the 16th over. The result gave India a 1-0 lead in the series.
The victory also continued India’s strong run against the West Indies. They had already won the preceding one-day international series 2-1, and began the T20I campaign in equally commanding fashion.
India’s chase did not initially look entirely straightforward. The hosts lost both openers inside 3.3 overs, with the scoreboard reading 35 for two. Iyer then arrived at number three and immediately changed the momentum of the innings.
Ishan Kishan was at the other end, but much of the attention was drawn to Iyer’s extraordinary assault. He raced to his half-century from only 28 balls, having already struck eight fours. His innings became even more explosive after reaching fifty.
Iyer smashed six sixes in his next 14 deliveries, repeatedly putting the West Indies attack under pressure. Three of those sixes came in Matthew Forde’s 14th over, turning the contest decisively in India’s favour.
He completed his century from 42 balls, registering his first hundred in international T20 cricket. Iyer also became only the third Indian captain to score a T20I century, following Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav. Before this innings, his highest score in the format was 80.
Iyer’s unbeaten hundred came alongside a valuable contribution from Kishan, who finished unbeaten on 37 from 27 balls. The pair added 137 runs together, rescuing India after the early loss of the openers and ensuring that the chase never developed into a close contest.
The Ekana Cricket Stadium has also proved a particularly productive venue for Iyer in T20 cricket. Representing India and in the Indian Premier League, he has played five T20 matches at the ground and has been dismissed only once. His latest century means he has now scored two consecutive hundreds at Ekana, where his strike rate stands at 200.59.
Earlier, the West Indies were bowled out for 171 in 19.1 overs after being sent in to bat. Captain Shai Hope provided stability at the top of the order, scoring 52 from 37 deliveries, while Sherfane Rutherford produced an aggressive 56 from 34 balls.
India’s debutant off-spinner Naman Dhir also made an immediate impact with the ball. He claimed three wickets for 31 runs, helping prevent the visitors from pushing their total beyond a competitive level.
Although the West Indies had enough runs on the board to give their bowlers something to defend, Iyer’s remarkable acceleration completely altered the equation. His ability to convert a measured start into a devastating finish allowed India to complete the chase with considerable ease.
The second match of the five-game T20I series will be played in Ranchi next Friday, with India holding an early 1-0 advantage.