Kohli’s unbeaten 139 powers India to eight-wicket win over West Indies

Virat Kohli finished the chase with a six, ending unbeaten on 139 as India beat West Indies by eight wickets in the first one-day international in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27, 2026. Captain Shubman Gill scored 110, and India reached 300 for two in 41.4 overs after West Indies had made 295 for seven.

Kohli’s innings brought his 55th ODI century, extending his record for the most hundreds in the format. He also passed 15,000 ODI runs during the match. The result puts India 1-0 ahead in the three-match series, with two games still to play.

India takes control of the chase

West Indies set India a target of 296, but the chase rarely looked out of reach. Rohit Sharma and Gill put on 74 for the first wicket, giving the hosts a brisk start before Rohit was dismissed for 32. Kohli then joined Gill, and their 151-run partnership took India to 225 for two.

Gill’s 110 came from 108 balls and included 13 fours and a six. He supplied a steady presence while Kohli scored more quickly at the other end. Gill fell to Roston Chase at the end of the 34th over, leaving India 71 runs short of victory with eight wickets in hand.

Kohli made sure there was no late complication. His 139 came from 88 balls, with 10 fours and nine sixes. Ruturaj Gaikwad remained unbeaten on 13 as the pair added 75 for the third wicket. Kohli hit the winning runs off Keacy Carty, completing the chase with 50 balls to spare.

A record century in context

The hundred was Kohli’s 55th in ODIs, six more than Sachin Tendulkar’s 49. The milestone refers specifically to one-day internationals, rather than centuries across all forms of international cricket. Kohli’s passage beyond 15,000 ODI runs added another landmark to an innings that also proved decisive on the night.

Gill registered his 10th ODI hundred. Their contrasting contributions made the partnership especially effective: Gill stayed long enough to anchor the chase, while Kohli’s rapid scoring kept the required rate from becoming a concern. India lost only two wickets while pursuing a total that had appeared competitive at the interval.

Kuldeep checks a strong West Indies start

West Indies had made a promising start after India chose to bowl. Openers Justin Greaves and John Campbell added 135 before Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Campbell for 62 in the 20th over. Greaves went on to score 101 from 108 balls, but West Indies could not maintain their early momentum.

Kuldeep took four wickets for 40 runs in his 10 overs, including Greaves and West Indies captain Shai Hope. The visitors slipped from 176 for two to 198 for five. Amir Jangoo helped them recover with an unbeaten 58 from 43 balls, and they closed on 295 for seven. Prasidh Krishna took two wickets for 60 runs.

Kuldeep was named player of the match for the spell that interrupted West Indies’ innings. His wickets gave India a more manageable target than the opening partnership had threatened to produce, before Gill and Kohli settled the contest with the bat.

What the result means for the series

India now need one win from the remaining two ODIs to secure the series. West Indies must win the second match to keep their chance of taking it alive. The teams are due to meet next in Guwahati on September 30.

For India, the opener showed both sides of a convincing ODI performance: Kuldeep’s intervention after a difficult start with the ball, followed by a chase completed with eight wickets and more than eight overs unused. For West Indies, the task is to turn a strong batting start into a larger total—and then find a way to slow India’s top order.