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India pipped West Indies by 20 runs in the thrilling first one-day international to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series...

India pipped West Indies by 20 runs in the thrilling first one-day international to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series here on Friday. Leaving behind their pathetic show in the World Twenty20,Indians came firing on all cylinders as they trampled the West Indies attack to reach an intimidating 339/6,after opting to bat at Sabina Park.

However,defending even such a massive total proved quite a task for the Indians as they just about managed to bowl the hosts out for 319 in 48.1 overs. It was a spirited chase by the hosts,for whom Shivnarine Chanderpaul top-scored with 63 and Denesh Ramdin played a sparkling 29-run knock down the order.

Earlier,Yuvraj Singh 131,shared a crucial 135-run stand with Dinesh Karthik 67 to shape the Indian innings. Skipper MS Dhoni 41,Yusuf Pathan 40 not out and Harbhajan Singh 21 not out also chipped in with useful contributions.

With the wicket of Chanderpaul in the 36th over it looked all over for the hosts but their lower order batted with steely resolve and made it an edge-of-the-seat contest. The West Indies required 21 off the last two overs with one wicket in hand but Ashish Nehra removed Ramdin in the first ball of the penultimate over to bring a huge relief for his side.

Ramnaresh Sarwan 45 and Runako Morton 42 did well and got the starts for the West Indies but could not convert those into big knocks.

Jerome Taylor 21 and David Bernard 19,batting at No 7 and 9,respectively,did their best but their effort went in vain in the end. For India,Nehra 3/49 and Yusuf Pathan 3/56 took three wickets each. It was raining sixes as 23 of them were hit in the match. Only thrice a one-dayer has witnessed more sixes.

Gayle sets off

The West Indies chase began in the right earnest with Chris Gayle 37 and Morton quickly putting up 65 for the first wicket before comeback man Nehra got rid of the skipper. Gayle miscued a pull off the left-armer and Harbhajan Singh took a smart running catch at mid-on. Mortons entertaining knock in which he hit four boundaries and a six ended when Yusuf had him caught behind.

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The hosts maintained a good run-rate to keep their hopes alive but continued losing their settled batsmen. The big-hitting Dwayne Bravo 8 though was extremely unlucky as he got out off a high full-toss from Ishant Sharma but umpires did not call that a no-ball.

Chanderpaul and Darren Bravo,making his debut,added 36 quick runs but just when the partnership had started looking threatening Yusuf separated the pair by dismissing the former. Chanderpaul had just hit Yusuf for a massive six but failed to do an encore hitting straight to Ravinder Jadeja at deep mid-wicket but not before hitting three fours and three sixes in his 59-ball knock.

The two sides meet again on Sunday at the same venue for the second ODI of the four-match series.

Brief scores: India 339/6 in 50 overs D Karthik 67,Y Singh 131,MS Dhoni 41,Y Pathan 40 not out; D Bravo 2/66; West Indies 319 all out in 48.1 overs C Gayle 37,R Morton 42,R Sarwan 45,S Chanderpaul 63; A Nehra 3/49,Y Pathan 3/56.