<p>Tilak Varma looked very much at home on his international debut before India made a mess of a modest run-chase to lose the opening T20 International against the West Indies by four runs here on Thursday.</p>.<p>Rovman Powell (48 off 32) played a captain's knock to take West Indies to 149 for six after the hosts opted to bat at the Brian Lara Stadium.</p>.<p>With 37 needed off the last 30 balls and six wickets in hand, India self-destructed to end at 145 for nine in 20 overs.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/prasidh-recalls-the-suddenness-of-his-injury-1243516.html">Prasidh recalls the suddenness of his injury</a></strong></p>.<p>Jason Holder brought the West Indies back into the game by producing a maiden in the 16th over, when he found the stumps of India skipper Hardik Pandya (19) before Sanju Samson (12) got run out.</p>.<p>Tail-ender Arshdeep Singh (12) made the game more interesting with a couple of fours in the penultimate over, making use of an extra fielder in the circle due to the home team's slow over rate.</p>.<p>Eventually, Romario Shepherd was able to defend 10 runs off the final over.</p>.<p>The sole bright spot of the chase was Varma's fearless 39 off 22 balls on his maiden outing for India. The 20-year-old southpaw dispatched West Indies' quickest bowler, Alzarri Joseph for back to back sixes over deep square leg to announce his arrival in international cricket.</p>.<p>His third and final six came off an aerial drive of pacer Shepherd.</p>.<p>It was not the easiest of pitches to bat on and most of the Indian batters found stroke making tough.</p>.<p>The opening duo of Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill perished cheaply before Suryakumar Yadav (21) and Varma got together.</p>.<p>Suryakumar came up with a spectacular cut short off Joseph that went all the way before the star Indian batter was caught brilliantly by Shimron Hetmyer at extra cover.</p>.<p>Earlier, Powell and the in-form Nicholas Pooran (41 off 34) took the hosts to a respectable total.</p>.<p>Besides Varma, pacer Mukesh Kumar, who made his Test and ODI debut earlier on the tour, was also handed his maiden T20 cap.</p>.<p>With the new ball not doing much in the powerplay, the Indian pace duo of Mukesh and Arshdeep Singh was not able to put the West Indies top-order under pressure.</p>.<p>Hardik introduced spin in the fourth over and Brandon King (28 off 19) made his intentions clear with an inside out six over cover off Axar Patel.</p>.<p>Yuzvendra Chahal (2/24) was brought into the attack in the following over and a struggling Kyle Myers (1) missed a slog sweep off the leggie's googly only to be adjudged lbw. The replays showed the ball was missing the stumps but Myers chose not to review.</p>.<p>Two balls later, King missed a straight ball off Chahal to be trapped in front. It was the first game of the tour for the Indian leggie.</p>.<p>Pooran, fresh from his sensational hundred in the Major League Cricket final, looked in devastating touch from ball one.</p>.<p>He dispatched Axar for a six and four in the cow corner region, leaving the West Indies at 54 for two in six overs.</p>.<p>Powell then got into the act and smashed three sixes and as many fours to taking the innings forward.</p>.<p>However, the West Indies were never able to get the final flourish, adding 42 runs off the last 30 balls with the loss of two wickets.</p>.<p>Besides Chahal, Arshdeep (2/31) also chipped in with two wickets for the visitors.</p>
<p>Tilak Varma looked very much at home on his international debut before India made a mess of a modest run-chase to lose the opening T20 International against the West Indies by four runs here on Thursday.</p>.<p>Rovman Powell (48 off 32) played a captain's knock to take West Indies to 149 for six after the hosts opted to bat at the Brian Lara Stadium.</p>.<p>With 37 needed off the last 30 balls and six wickets in hand, India self-destructed to end at 145 for nine in 20 overs.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/prasidh-recalls-the-suddenness-of-his-injury-1243516.html">Prasidh recalls the suddenness of his injury</a></strong></p>.<p>Jason Holder brought the West Indies back into the game by producing a maiden in the 16th over, when he found the stumps of India skipper Hardik Pandya (19) before Sanju Samson (12) got run out.</p>.<p>Tail-ender Arshdeep Singh (12) made the game more interesting with a couple of fours in the penultimate over, making use of an extra fielder in the circle due to the home team's slow over rate.</p>.<p>Eventually, Romario Shepherd was able to defend 10 runs off the final over.</p>.<p>The sole bright spot of the chase was Varma's fearless 39 off 22 balls on his maiden outing for India. The 20-year-old southpaw dispatched West Indies' quickest bowler, Alzarri Joseph for back to back sixes over deep square leg to announce his arrival in international cricket.</p>.<p>His third and final six came off an aerial drive of pacer Shepherd.</p>.<p>It was not the easiest of pitches to bat on and most of the Indian batters found stroke making tough.</p>.<p>The opening duo of Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill perished cheaply before Suryakumar Yadav (21) and Varma got together.</p>.<p>Suryakumar came up with a spectacular cut short off Joseph that went all the way before the star Indian batter was caught brilliantly by Shimron Hetmyer at extra cover.</p>.<p>Earlier, Powell and the in-form Nicholas Pooran (41 off 34) took the hosts to a respectable total.</p>.<p>Besides Varma, pacer Mukesh Kumar, who made his Test and ODI debut earlier on the tour, was also handed his maiden T20 cap.</p>.<p>With the new ball not doing much in the powerplay, the Indian pace duo of Mukesh and Arshdeep Singh was not able to put the West Indies top-order under pressure.</p>.<p>Hardik introduced spin in the fourth over and Brandon King (28 off 19) made his intentions clear with an inside out six over cover off Axar Patel.</p>.<p>Yuzvendra Chahal (2/24) was brought into the attack in the following over and a struggling Kyle Myers (1) missed a slog sweep off the leggie's googly only to be adjudged lbw. The replays showed the ball was missing the stumps but Myers chose not to review.</p>.<p>Two balls later, King missed a straight ball off Chahal to be trapped in front. It was the first game of the tour for the Indian leggie.</p>.<p>Pooran, fresh from his sensational hundred in the Major League Cricket final, looked in devastating touch from ball one.</p>.<p>He dispatched Axar for a six and four in the cow corner region, leaving the West Indies at 54 for two in six overs.</p>.<p>Powell then got into the act and smashed three sixes and as many fours to taking the innings forward.</p>.<p>However, the West Indies were never able to get the final flourish, adding 42 runs off the last 30 balls with the loss of two wickets.</p>.<p>Besides Chahal, Arshdeep (2/31) also chipped in with two wickets for the visitors.</p>