1st T20I: Dhir Wanted To Bowl In Crucial Moments; Hitting A Ton Was A Dream Come True, Says Iyer After India Win

1st T20I: Dhir wanted to bowl in crucial moments; hitting a ton was a dream come true, says Iyer after India win (Lucknow: India vs West Indies 1st T20I at Ekana Cricket Stadium)

BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium:  Captain Shreyas Iyer complimented his team for brilliant overall performance in a comprehensive win over the West Indies in the first T20I of the series against the West Indies and said scoring his maiden hundred in the format was a "dream come true" for him.

Iyer produced a historic unbeaten 102 off 43 balls, and Naman Dhir made an impressive impact on debut as India thrashed West Indies by eight wickets at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday.

"Exultant! Was thinking about my first century, and dreams do come true. Winning tastes different. If it is your day, win the match for the team. Overall, it was a comprehensive performance. If we continue with the same mindset, we will be one of the most destructive teams in T20," said Iyer, who was adjudged the Player of the Match.

Chasing 172, India completed a dominant victory in just 14.4 overs, with Iyer smashing his maiden T20I century and his highest score in the format. His sensational knock included a century off just 42 balls, making it the second-fastest hundred against West Indies in T20Is, behind only Australia’s Tim David, who reached the landmark in 37 balls in 2025.

The win in the T20I came after a busy week for India after a three-match ODI series, which included exhausting travel, that India won 2-1. Iyer said when he started batting, he did not realise where he was.

"After the exhausting travel, I didn't realise where I was. Every day I need to wake up like this! Bowling first helped us a lot. We just didn't look at jet lag as an excuse. We saw the excitement of Ind vs WI in the ODIs and how amazing that was. It was important to stick to the process.

He said he loved debutant Naman Dhir's attitude as he wanted to take the responsibility of bowling in crucial moments. Dhir, making his T20I debut, returned the third-best bowling figures by an Indian spinner on debut, claiming 3/31 from four overs as India bowled out West Indies for 171.

"After the exhausting travel, I didn't realise where I was. Every day I need to wake up like this! Bowling first helped us a lot. We just didn't look at jet lag as an excuse. We saw the excitement of Ind vs WI in the ODIs and how amazing that was. It was important to stick to the process.

Article Source: IANS