Both captains have praised the phenomenal display of clinical hitting by Man of the Match, Yuvraj Singh, in the First Digicel One Day International which India eventually comfortably won.

“You have to give credit to the way Yuvraj batted. He started really slow but that goes to show the power of Yuvraj. Once he gets in, he can be very dangerous,” losing West Indies captain, Chris Gayle, told the media after the game which India won by 20 runs after posting a formidable 339 for 6 from 50 overs.

It was the second largest total at Sabina Park after Pakistan’s 349 against Zimbabwe in the 2007 World Cup.

“Today’s innings was one more brilliant innings by him (Yuvraj), he really took the game away from the West Indies team, that’s for sure,” captain of India, Mahendra Singh Dhoni said at the post match press conference.

Yuvraj carted 131 runs from a mere 102 deliveries, smashing 10 fours and seven audacious sixes to all parts, two of which nearly smashed windscreens of vehicles parked behind the Kingston Cricket Club.

For securing the Man of the Match award Yuvraj was presented with a Blackberry Storm, compliments of Digicel.

“(Yuvraj) batted really well and set up a good innings for his team – on a small outfield and flat track it was difficult to contain him out there when he was on the go,” conceded Gayle noting that the innings was the difference between the two teams on the day.

It was the left hander’s 12th ODI ton and his second against the West Indies. His last score at Sabina Park was 93 in a losing cause so he clearly enjoys playing in Jamaica.

“Once he sets in, you hope for a big score. That’s what he’s doing. Once he’s set in, he always gives us a good score with a very good strike rate,” Dhoni said while noting that Yuvraj is a key cog in the Indian middle order.

“We depend a lot on him, he bats at a crucial position at number 4. It’s a pleasure to have him in the side, it really takes the pressure off the middle order and lower order batsmen,” Dhoni explained.