India cruise to 68-run win over WI as Rohit, Karthik and spinners star

Rohit Sharma's elegant half-century and Dinesh Karthik's blazing finish were backed up by a solid bowling performance as India made short work of the West Indies with an easy 68-run victory in the first T20I on Friday. 

While Rohit set up the platform with a 44-ball-64, it was Karthik's calculated assault - an unbeaten 41 off 19 balls - that took India to 190 for six after being put into bat. 

The last three overs of the Indian innings yielded 45 runs, which became the turning point. 

On a track where there was spongy bounce with a bit of turn and grip, Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin (2/22 in 4 overs), Ravindra Jadeja (1/26 in 4 overs) and Ravi Bishnoi (2/26 in 4 overs) got wickets at regular intervals to restrict the hosts at 122 for eight in 20 overs.

Arshdeep Singh (2/24 in 4 overs) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/11 in 2 overs), despite some initial pasting, got their share of breakthroughs. Hence, a below-par show by top-order, save Rohit, didn't have telling consequences on India.