IND vs WI: Navdeep Saini Attains Unique Record Post Stellar International Debut

Saina who shined  in his debut game for India also got his name in the record books as he became only the second bowler to record a wicket-maiden in the 20th over of a T20 international match.

India pacer Navdeep Saini could have not asked for a better debut in his international career as he helped India script a win over Windies in the opening T20 with three wickets in his kitty. Saina who shined  in his debut game for India also got his name in the record books as he became only the second bowler to record a wicket-maiden in the 20th over of a T20 international match. Saini, who was brought into the attack in the 5th over, struck immediately to dismiss Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer off successive deliveries in his first over itself. He came back strongly in his second spell and picked up the big wicket of Kieron Pollard for 49 in the final over without conceding a single run to finish his spell with 3 wickets for 17 from 4 overs.

Saini is only the second bowler after Singapore's Janak Prakash to manage a wicket-maiden in the 20th over of a T20 international match on debut. Janak Prakash had achieved the feat in the ICC T20 World Cup Asia Region Final against Qatar last month. But the feat has never been achieved by a debutant in a T20I between two Test-playing nations. Saini was the hero with the ball for India as they restricted the West Indies to a below-par 95 for 9 in 20 overs at Lauderhill after electing to bowl first. Washington Sundar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar removed openers John Campbell and Evin Lewis for a pair of ducks before Saini dented the world champions further with the wickets of Pooran and Htemyer off successive deliveries in the 5th over. West Indies could never recover from there even with comeback man Kieron Pollard top-scoring with a run-a-ball 49 (4x2, 6x4) before Saini got his back in the final over which he finished with a wicket maiden to cap off a dream debut.