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19 March 2024

Kohli fastest to 20,000 runs as West Indies keep India in check

Published
By AFP

Virat Kohli on Thursday became the fastest batsman to reach 20,000 international runs as he anchored India's innings against the West Indies in the World Cup match in Manchester.

Kohli reached the landmark in his 417th innings with a single off West Indies skipper Jason Holder - India's Sachin Tendulkar and Caribbean batsman Brian Lara both required 453 international innings to reach the landmark.

The West Indies bowlers, led by paceman Kemar Roach, kept India in check with regular wickets.

Kohli's team reached 148 for four in 30 overs after electing to bat first at Old Trafford.

Roach struck in the sixth over to have Rohit Sharma controversially caught behind off a delivery that pitched on a good length and jagged back sharply into the right-handed batsman.

The on-field umpire gave Sharma not out but the West Indies successfully reviewed the decision, with technology appearing to indicate a spike in sound as the ball squeezed through the gap between bat and pad.

Sharma was surprised and disappointed as he walked back to the dressing room.

"That was a tricky decision, even with the amount of replays you can have, to be 100 percent sure it's either one or the other," England Test bowler James Anderson told the BBC.

KL Rahul was the next to fall, for 48, bowled by a sharp in-cutter from Holder.

Roach came roaring in during his second spell to have Vijay Shankar caught behind for 14 and then sent back Kedar Jadhav with a delivery that pitched and straightened.

Jadhav was given not out only for the West Indies to successfully review the decision.

Kohli completed his fourth successive fifty in the tournament and was joined by wicketkeeper-batsman M.S. Dhoni at the crease.

Defeat for West Indies, who have only won one of their six matches, would snuff out their already remote chances of reaching the semi-finals.

India lose Sharma early in West Indies World Cup match

India controversially lost opener Rohit Sharma for 18 as they made a cautious start against a probing West Indies pace attack in the World Cup match in Manchester on Thursday.

Fast bowler Kemar Roach struck in the sixth over to have Sharma caught behind off a delivery that pitched on a good length and jagged back sharply into the right-handed batsman.

The on-field umpire gave Sharma not out but the West Indies successfully reviewed the decision, with technology appearing to indicate a spike in sound as the ball squeezed through the gap between bat and pad.

Sharma was surprised and disappointed as he walked back to the dressing room.

"That was a tricky decision, even with the amount of replays you can have, to be 100 percent sure it's either one or the other," England Test bowler James Anderson told the BBC.

India, who are unbeaten in their five matches so far and have displaced England at the top of the one-day-international rankings, were 47 for one at the end of the 10th over rafter electing to bat first at Old Trafford.

KL Rahul, on 20, and skipper Virat Kohli, on seven, were batting as India look to move closer to wrapping up an early semi-final spot.

Defeat for West Indies, who have only won one of their six matches, would end their already remote chances of reaching the semi-finals.

India bat against West Indies in World Cup match

Virat Kohli won the toss and chose to bat against the West Indies in Manchester on Thursday as India look to move closer to wrapping up an early World Cup semi-final spot.

The two-time champions, who are unbeaten in their six outings so far, including a washed-out game, fielded an unchanged side after their narrow victory against Afghanistan.

Kohli urged his team to fine-tune the rough edges so they are more ruthless.

"It looks like a hard wicket. We've got two wrist-spinners. It's a used pitch so we see it drying out and slowing down in the latter half of the match," Kohli said at a sunny Old Trafford.

"I want more application from the batsmen. When it's a 50/60-run partnership, we want the batsmen to work hard on making it a big one so the opposition can't get back into the game."

West Indies, who have managed just one win from six games, have made two changes to their starting line-up after their heartbreaking five-run defeat to New Zealand on Saturday.

Injured Evin Lewis and Ashley Nurse make way for Sunil Ambris and Fabian Allen.

Skipper Jason Holder admitted he would have batted first had he won the toss but said the bowlers should take early advantage of the Old Trafford wicket.

"We wanted to bat too but if there's anything in the wicket it's probably first up," he said. "We are getting closer and closer. I've challenged the guys to put together a complete game."

India: Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (wkt), Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah

West Indies: Jason Holder (capt), Chris Gayle, Shai Hope (wkt), Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Carlos Brathwaite, Sunil Ambris, Fabian Allen, Kemar Roach, Sheldon Cottrell, Oshane Thomas

Umpires: Richard Kettleborough (ENG), Richard Illingworth (ENG)

TV umpire: Michael Gough (ENG)

Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)