Three years post one of the most exhilarating white-ball games in the history of the sport, the first ODI between West Indies and India, held under ICC sanctions on July 22, 2022, still gets people and commentators to argue about. As a match double-up to tune up both teams before the 2023 ODI World Cup, India emerged a successful three-wicket winner in a match where it had to chase 309 in the final two overs.
The tourists, under the stand-in captain Shikhar Dhawan and a scintillating unconquered 97 by Shubman Gill, was able to overcome a batting collapse to beat a strong West Indies team that was led by a blistering 96 by Nicholas Pooran.
It was played at the legendary Queen’s Park Oval and was not only about the outcome but an exposition of future talents, and, in the tactics, an indication of the changes that were taking place in the world of cricket. As the current date draws to a close, the busy international summer, this kind of retrospective makes us remember why bilateral series have been the very blood and bone of the sport.
With the changing of the streaming platforms and the digitisation of archives, there has never been an easier way to access this classic. Whether you are a fanatic returning to watch the masterclass of Gill or someone new to the rivalry, this guide goes into the chronology of the match, its highlights, performances of the match, and, most importantly, the best ways to watch the drama.
Part of the India Tour of the West Indies
The series had three ODIs and five T20S, which were an invaluable preparation, with the absence of stars like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. West Indies, led by Nicholas Pooran, wanted to gain momentum at home whereas India was testing their bench strength. In our day, when both teams are looking forward to the 2027 ODI World Cup, the lessons of this opener on how to stay composed under pressure are heard more than ever.
Pre-Match Buzz: A Series Stakes World Cup
The summer was charged to July 22. After their morale-boosting win in England, India had just come into the Asia Cup, yet with their main players taking a backseat, it was an opportunity that youngsters such as Gill, Sanju Samson, and Deepak Hooda could press their claim.
West Indies, having a bad home record in the series against India (lost 12 of 16 ODIs since 2011) were counting on the dynamism of Pooran, and the pace duo of Jayden Seales and Alzarri Joseph to disharmonize the visitors.
West Indies prevailed in a match that was batted by them, against partly cloudy weather, where the temperature was 28 °C. Nigel Duguid and Dehganie Lampard were the umpires, and the action was beamed on TV globally. Little did the fans know that this would be a 50-over thriller that put as much of an endurance and ability test as well.
An Nail-Biting History of Swing and Spin
The whole game was a Bollywood blockbuster, a game full of twists, heroes and almost heartbreaks, from the first ball to the last heave. Here’s the blow-by-blow recap:
- 0.1 – Opener Salvo: Seales goes early, and Ruturaj Gaikwad is caught in the act of a duck. India is under pressure, yet Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer stabilise the vessel on a 50 stand vigilance.
- 10.3 – West Indies Milestone: Pooran and Hope continue their third wicket and turn strike on a mixed Indian bowling with swing by Mohammed Siraj.
- 22.4 – Pooran Assault Starts: WI skipper Prasidh Krishna hits six to 50 off 45 balls. The backbone turns out to be his innings, which is a mixture of caution and carnage.
- 35.6 – First Innings Peak: Pooran is stumped off at 96 attempting to score off Yuzvendra Chahal on a leg-spin, with Rovman Powell after a 137-run partnership. West Indies 308/6, and Shimron Hetmyer contributed 29.
- 42.2 – India Stumble: Following the fluent 97 (92 balls, eight fours, three sixes) by Gill, the middle-order wobble takes place as Samson (12), Hooda (10) and Axar Patel (0) fall within no time. Score at 20 overs: 150/3.
- 45.1 – Joseph Thunder: The pacer beats up Iyer with 38 and India is 224/6. The situation is getting stressful as the necessary rate goes beyond 8.
- 48.5 – Heroic Finish: Having required 16 off the remaining two overs, Deepak Chahar hits Joseph 12 times, including a six. On the last bal,l he turns one round to put an end to a memorable pursuit at 309/7.
- The 50th Over Drama: Seven minutes of referee decision pause, yet the determination of India shines through. Man of the Match: Shubman Gill.
The total amount of runs of the match was 617, and the run rate was 6.17, 22 sixes and 45 fours, evidence of the T20-induced aggression in ODI.
Critical Turning Points: Points of Turning of the Game
- The Near-century of Pooran: his 96 of 85 (10 fours, three sixes): saved West Indies of 43/2, yet the failure to convert lost them 20+ runs.
- Gill, in his Anchored Aggression, is the young opener, with 10 boundaries and clever rotations. His 97 is the highest in a successful pursuit in the WI by an Indian.
- Late Collapse and Recovery: A 4-wicket loss in between the innings was almost going to kill India, but the composure of Chahal with eight and his finishing touch by Chahar reversed the issue.
- Fielding Lapses: Crashed catches – Pooran on 40 by Samson – costly, as it was an indication of rust in the Indian cordon.
The stats point out the improbability of the chase whizzes, who observe that the xR (expected runs) of India is 285 as compared to the 308 posted.
Best of the Acts: Queen of the Star Performers in Queen of the Park Oval
Shubman Gill received universal praise (97/100), and his ability to remain calm under pressure made him the heir apparent of Rohit. Deepak Chahar (9/10) scored with bat (17 off 8) and ball (1/48), and Yuzvendra Chahal had the critical Pooran scalp, 2/54. In the case of the West Indies, Pooran (8.5/10) was electric with 96 holding him together in a competitive total, Joseph (7.5/10) with 3/48 that includes the treasured Iyer wicket.
Bench prowess glowed: Sanju Samson had a cameo appearance which promised more, although unevenly. The Rovman Powell of the West Indies (35 off 34) gave impetus, but the poor depth of the batting followed the Pooran.
Tactical Understandings: Tradeoff between Attack and Adaptation
The captain of India, Dhawan, complimented the fearless cricket after the match, and the initial swing of the seamers (Siraj: 1/50) preludged the traps. The flow was stifled by the spin of Chahal in the middle overs (economy 5.4), which led to mistakes. The aggressive Powerplay (52/1) strategy by West Indies was successful, but it led to an expensive cost due to bad death bowling (17 runs in the last over).
Reflectively, this prelude to the 2023 World Cup semi-finals in India marked the integration of youth in the country. However, the West Indies had poor consistency and won only one of the three ODIs.
Important Match Statistics: West Indies vs India, 1st ODI (July 22, 2022)
| West Indies | India | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Runs | 308/6 (50) | 309/7 (49.6) |
| Highest Scorer | Pooran (96) | Gill (97*) |
| Best Bowler | Joseph (3/48) | Chahal (2/54) |
| Fours/Sixes | 29/7 | 25/10 |
| Run Rate | 6.16 | 6.22 |
| Success rate (Career) in Target Chase | 45% | 52% |
This shot highlights the hairpin-thin margins upon which the encounter was made.
Perspectives: How to Catch the Action – Then and Now
With Indian Fans (Primary Market)
Broadcast Live: Star Sports Network (Star Sports 1 HD)…
Streaming: Disney+ Hotstar… JioCinema provided hearty streams…
Today: Replay in JioCinema… YouTube official highlights…
For US and Canada Viewers
Live: Willow TV… ESPN+ integrated streams.
Streaming: Hotstar Disney Bundle… FanCode app.
Now: Willow TV archives… ESPNcricinfo highlights.
For the UK and Europe
Broadcast: Sky Sports Cricket… BT Sport reserve.
Streaming: Now TV… Hotstar VPN geo-unblocked.
Current: Sky Go… YouTube/ICC ECB Appendages.
To Caribbean and Global Audience
Live: ESPN Caribbean… Flow Sports.
Streaming: ESPN Play mobile application.
Today: ICC.tv… Cricbuzz Video free sign-in.
Trick: Geo-bypassing VPNs… ICC data showed that total global viewership reached 150 million live, with India making up 70 per cent.
History and Prospect: The Reason this Match Matters
The July 22 thriller was not just a victory – it propelled Gill into a new level of stardom… New coach Daren Sammy is rebuilding the West Indies, take Fire as an inspiration from Pooran.
This ODI to us reminds us of the eternal appeal of cricket in a sport that is being changed with The Hundred and ILT20. Turn on your stream, pick up the popcorn and experience the magic again – since classics such as this are not going to die out; they will feed the fire of the future heroes. As bilateral tours continue to increase around 2026, it is yet to be seen what the next chapter entails.