FLORIDA: As many as 489 runs in 40 overs! No wonder India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni observed that fans got "every dollar's worth" of their investment in the first T20I, on Saturday.

India lost to World T20 champions the West Indies on the last ball, but the Board's plans to tap the massive market in the USA got a tremendous boost.

Most teams would have backed themselves to get eight from the final over, but India faltered, unable to get the better of the wily Dwayne Bravo.

The Central Broward Regional Park and Stadium wasn't packed to capacity (around 12,000 came in the 14,000 facility), but that probably had something to do with the Board's 'restraint' in going all out at first go.

Next year, the Board's approach is bound to get aggressive.

Many view the T20 format, even at the international level, as more of entertainment. It got reinforced as 32 sixes were hit, almost matching the 35 fours.

That India came within a whisker of overhauling the West Indies' highest total of 245 for six revealed positives, besides obviously the negatives.

Dhoni's the one who fell on the last ball, from Bravo, consumed by a slower one.

Expectedly, with such a tight finish, the final ball hadn't been bowled in a hurry. But the "champion," as captain Carlos Brathwaite hailed Bravo, didn't get either the planning or the execution wrong.

Dhoni admitted his execution had been "wrong." Not that the thinking was faulty.

Marlon Samuels, who'd dropped Dhoni on the first ball of the final over would have been most relieved on taking him on the last one.

Stuart Binny went for 32 runs in his only over, but fellow-Bangalorean Kannaur Lokesh Rahul made full use of the big stage to register a lovely hundred (110 not out off 51 balls).

Rahul gave a chance, yes, but that's not a big deal in a format where you just have to take chances.

Clearly, Rahul is building on the confidence gained during the Test series in the Caribbean. It means bad news for Shikhar Dhawan, though Rahul didn't open but batted at No.4.

The day saw a centurion in each innings, with the inexperienced Evin Lewis (playing only his second T20I) helping himself to a smashing 100 from 49 balls.

Chris Gayle didn't play, owing to an injury which wasn't elaborated upon. He wasn't missed as Johnson Charles and Lewis went out guns blazing.

Their 126-run opening stand (after Brathwaite lost the toss) in as few as 9.3 overs was super stuff. It rained fours and sixes.

With the West Indies winning, Lewis got the MoM award. Had the result been otherwise, the award would have gone to Rahul.

"Can't describe the feeling... I'd backed myself and I came good... I'd played in the CPL here, so was familiar with the conditions," Lewis said, almost in a whisper.

Brathwaite's captaincy debut couldn't have gone any better.

Thrilled too was Dave Cameron, the West Indies Cricket Board president.

Jumping up and down, a beer in hand, Cameron said: "Excited... Very excited... We know how to win."

Anurag Thakur, our Board president, passed Cameron by quietly as the two crossed each other in the lounge separating the two VIP sections in the main block.

Curator Mark Perham needs to be complimented for such a fabulous wicket.

A New Zealander, Mark had prepared the wickets during the CPL which finished all too recently.

Sunday's match is to be played on the same surface.