IND vs WI 2022, 1st ODI | Internet reacts as 'Lord' Shardul Thakur scripts comeback with two quick dismissals

India seemed like the clear favourites for the first ODI against West Indies at the Queen’s Park Oval on Friday ahead of the tie and their strong first-innings display only reinforced their opinion. All of their top-three batsmen scored handsome half-centuries as skipper Shikhar Dhawan led from the front with a flamboyant 97 off just 99 deliveries to help India post a large total of 308 at the end of their 50 overs.

The visiting bowlers started off strongly as well, scalping the dangerous Shai Hope’s wicket after a painstaking 7 runs in 18 deliveries. However, soon the tables started turning back in the favour of the hosts courtesy of a marathon partnership between Kyle Mayers and Sharmarh Brooks. The two had contributed 117-runs in just 113 balls, as the former raced to 75 in just 68 deliveries. The target seemed to be well within their reach given both the spinners and pacers struggled to breach their guard.

Just when the West Indies seemed to have established firm control over the tie, Shardul Thakur took the ball in his hand and in a typical manner single-handedly put India in the driver’s seat. Brooks was the all-rounder’s first victim as he was lured by a short ball outside off-stump, only to pull it straight down the throat of Shreyas Iyer at deep square leg. The 33-year-old fell just four runs short of his half-century, but ‘Lord’ Thakur was not done yet. In his very next over, another wide ball tempted Mayers into a drive only to find a thick edge and nestle safely into Sanju Samson’s gloves. From struggling, India seems like the only probable winner from this stage onwards as the required run rate has climbed to nearly 8 runs an over, thanks in big part to Shardul Thakur.

Lord strikes

And lord does it once again!

Lord Thakur

What a comeback

All time great

Thakur supremacy

Beyond science

Tweet of the day!

Golden arm

All hail the lord!