WI vs AFG, 1st ODI: Roston Chase's All-round Heroics Helps Windies Register 7-wicket Win

All-rounder Chase registered 94 off 115 balls and opener Shai Hope scored an unbeaten 77 off 133 balls to help West Indies chase down the below par 195-run target set by Afghanistan.

West Indies defeated Afghanistan by seven-wickets in the opening encounter of the 3-match ODI series played at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee International Cricket stadium  in Lucknow on Monday. The Windies registered a clinical win over the Asian team courtesy a stellar all-rounder display by Roston Chase who top scored with 94 and picked up 2-31 from his off spin bowling. All-rounder Chase registered 94 off 115 balls and opener Shai Hope scored an unbeaten 77 off 133 balls to help West Indies chase down the below par 194-run total set by Afghanistan. Chasing 195 to win , West Indies lost its opening two wickets rather early with just 25 runs on the board. Opener Evin Lewis (7) was dismissed by Mujeeb Ur Rahman while Shimron Hetmyer (3) was sent back to the pavilion by Naveen-ul-Haq. Chase and Hope staged a 163-run third-wicket partnership and neutralized the three-pronged Afghanistan spin attack as leg-spinner Rashid Khan couldn't get a wicket and conceded 43 runs off his 10 overs. Chase tried to reach his maiden ODI century but was clean bowled in the 44th over. However, Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran ensured West Indies' victory by seven wickets and with 21 balls to spare Earlier in the match, Afghanistan, who were put into bat first, suffered a massive batting collapse to fold out for 194 after a solid century-stand between Rahmat Shah (61) and Ikram Alikhil (58). The bizarre run out of Alikhil in the 27th over triggered the collapse while Chase grabbed the wickets of Shah and Najibullah Zadran. For West Indies, Jason Holder, Chase and Romario Shephard scalped two wickets each. Afghanistan and West Indies will next lock horns in the second ODI on Saturday, November 9. Brief Scores: West Indies 197/3 (Roston Chase 94, Shai Hope 77*, Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2-33) defeat Afghanistan 194/10 (Rahmat Shah 61, Ikram Alikhil 58, Jason Holder 2-21) by seven wickets.