Yuvraj sparkles for resurgent India

Yuvraj Singh toasts his increasingly brutal century, which formed the bedrock of India's daunting 339 for six

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India bounced back from their limp ICC World Twenty20 exit by recording a 20-run win over West Indies in the first one-day international thanks to a pulsating hundred from Yuvraj Singh.

Yuvraj, perhaps still in 20-over mode following his side's departure at the Super Eights stage, smashed an 88-ball century en route to 131 off 102 balls as India posted a formidable 339 for six at Sabina Park.

The hosts mounted a valiant reply as Shivnarine Chanderpaul top-scored with 63 from 59 balls, but none of their batsmen could stay at the crease long enough to see them home.

Dinesh Karthik did the early damage with the bat for India, overcoming the departures of Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma to strike 67 off 76 balls.

The openers dished out some harsh treatment in Lionel Baker's first over before a Jerome Taylor bouncer accounted for Gambhir, who made 13.

Another short ball – this time from Baker – did for Sharma soon after, with Dwayne Bravo taking the catch on both occasions.

That brought Yuvraj and Karthik together, with the pair happy to rebuild slowly at first.

Karthik began to up the rate with boundaries off David Bernard and Bravo, before a Dilshan-esque scoop for six saw him to 50.

Yuvraj smashed two sixes off Chris Gayle and another at the expense of slow left-armer Sulieman Benn - three of seven in total, allied to 10 fours - as he and Karthick brought up the century stand and took India past 150.

However, with the score on 166 and the partnership worth 135, Karthik scooped an attempted paddle to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni offered valuable support to Yuvraj, who launched into Baker and Taylor to take his score from 84 to 114 in the space of two overs.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul leads the West Indies charge with 63 off 59 balls, but the hosts fell 21 short of a remarkable victory

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He smashed consecutive sixes off Taylor before Bravo took two wickets in two balls, removing Yuvraj and Ravindra Jadeja thanks to catches from the impressive Ramdin.

Dhoni, who made 41 off 46 balls, and Yusuf Pathan, who finished unbeaten on 40 from 38 deliveries, carried India past 300, with assistance from Harbhajan Singh.

Gayle and Runako Morton made 37 and 42 respectively as they shared an opening stand of 65 to launch West Indies’ reply, and Ramnaresh Sarwan struck three sixes, including a glorious straight drive off Yuvraj, in his rapid 45.

Sarwan and Chanderpaul added 51 for the third wicket before the former was run out, a wicket which signalled the beginning of the end for the hosts.

Bravo struggled to time the ball before being removed by Ishant Sharma - albeit seemingly off a no-ball - for eight off 21 deliveries, before his brother Darren, on debut, made 19.

Pathan accounted for Chanderpaul, who faced just 59 balls, and Taylor for 21 as the West Indies tail wagged valiantly.

Bernard contributed 19 and Ramdin hit 29 at quicker than a run a ball to maintain the Windies’ slim hopes, but they perished either side of Benn’s dismissal as West Indies were bowled out with 11 balls remaining.

The second game of the four-match series takes place at the same venue on Sunday.