India vs West Indies, 1st T20I: Top 3 performers of the match

India registered a six-wicket win against West Indies in the first T20I of the three-match series at Hyderabad, as fine half-centuries from Virat Kohli and KL Rahul made quick work of the 208-run target set by the visitors.

Earlier, Indian skipper Virat Kohli opted to field first keeping in mind the dew factor on an otherwise good batting surface. The match turned out to be a run-feast as the batsmen of both the teams took on the bowlers and entertained the crowd with explosive batting.

Batting first, West Indies lost their opener Lendl Simmons (4-ball 2) early. However, the pair of Evin Lewis (17-ball 40) and Brandon King (23-ball 31) steadied the batting effort and added 51 runs in just 20 balls for the second wicket, laying the foundation for a big total.

The onslaught by the West Indian batsmen on the Indian bowlers continued throughout the innings which helped the visitors post a massive 207-5 from 20 overs.

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Chasing 208 in 20 overs, Rohit Sharma (10-ball 8) fell cheaply as West Indies did have an early chance to wrest control over the game. However, a 100-run stand between KL Rahul and Virat Kohli kept India in the game, eventually playing a major role in helping the hosts clinch a comfortable victory with eight balls to spare.

On that note, here are the three top performers from the game.

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#1 Virat Kohli (94*, 50b, 6x4, 6x6)

Virat Kohli was in full flow

The departure of Rohit Sharma brought Virat Kohli to the crease and India needed a strong partnership to remain in the chase. Needless to say, all eyes were on the Indian skipper, who is known for his skill of anchoring chases.

Returning to the T20I side after a well-earned rest, Kohli looked a bit scratchy in the beginning, but it did not take too long for him to find his groove. Kohli took 11 runs off the 12th over bowled by Jason Holder that got the former going as he brought up his fifty off just 35 balls.

Kohli's 61-ball 100 run partnership with KL Rahul and a 17-ball 48 run stand with Rishabh Pant for the third wicket ensured that India were always in the chase, and in the end, the Indian skipper ensured that he took his side across the line.

Kohli remained unbeaten on 94 off just 50 deliveries in an innings that consisted of 6 sixes and as many fours. His top-level knock yet again proved the fact that he is one of the best in the business when it comes to the art of chasing targets.

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#2 KL Rahul (62, 40b, 5x4, 4x6)

KL Rahul

KL Rahul was provided with the opportunity to open the innings in the absence of Shikhar Dhawan and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands. Rahul looked fluent right from the very start of the innings and found the boundaries with ease.

Rahul's solid effort not only compensated for the early departure of Rohit Sharma but also provided Virat Kohli with the cushion of taking time to get used to the pitch on offer. Rahul got to his fifty off just 37 balls and looked to accelerate the scoring rate post the landmark by hitting sixes from the next two deliveries he faced.

However, right after the duo brought up a vital 100-run stand, Rahul lobbed a simple catch to Kieron Pollard off Khary Pierre and walked away in disbelief, having thrown away a great start.

Yet, the opener's knock and partnership with skipper Virat Kohli turned out to be a big driving force behind India's win in the end.

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#3 Sheldon Cottrell (4-0-24-1)

Sheldon Cottrell was economical with the ball in hand

In a match that was dominated by the batsmen, Sheldon Cottrell was the highlight among the bowlers. While all the other bowlers from both sides failed to control the run flow, Cottrell hit the right line and length which saw him concede just 24 runs from his four overs.

Cottrell gave away four runs from his opening over, on the back of which he was asked to bowl three overs upfront by West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard. Although the left-arm seamer gave away 19 runs from his next two overs, his figures read 0/19 from three overs, a tad above 6 RPO.

With Cottrell's seam partner Kesrick Williams leaking runs, Pollard turned to Cottrell for a change in fortunes with India needing 31 runs from the last four overs. The pacer struck with his second ball as he accounted for Rishabh Pant and also gave away just five runs from that over, finishing with figures of 1/24 from his four overs.

Yet, despite his best efforts, the other WI bowlers were carted all over the park that handed India a 6-wicket win in the end.