Indian cricket team skipper Hardik Pandya got emotional during the national anthem ahead of the first T20I encounter between India and West Indies on Thursday. A picture has surfaced on social media where Pandya can be seen wiping tears as the national anthem plays in Tarouba, Trinidad. Yuzvendra Chahal and Arshdeep Singh took two wickets each to restrict West Indies to a somewhat modest total of 149 for the loss of six wickets. WI skipper Rovman Powell scored 48 while Nicholas Pooran slammed a quickfire 41 but it was not enough as the hosts kept losing wickets at regular intervals.
Twenty-year-old batter Tilak Varma was handed his India debut Thursday as the West Indies won the toss and chose to bat in the first of a five-match T20 series.
Hardik Pandya got emotional during the national anthem. pic.twitter.com/5VH2kM8cdf
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 3, 2023
Seamer Mukesh Kumar, who debuted for India in the second Test last month and then played in the three-match ODI series, also earned his first T20 international cap.
India chose three spinners for the match at the Brian Lara Stadium, with Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal all included.
The tourists won the preceding two-Test series 1-0 before beating the West Indies 2-1 in the ODIs.
West Indies: Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Johnson Charles, Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell (capt), Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Obed McCoy
India:Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (capt), Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar.
(With AFP inputs)
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