Siraj holds nerve as West Indies fall short in ODI opener

India have stymied West Indies just enough at the death to win their opening one-day international by three runs at Queen's Park Oval.

India put up 7-308 and West Indies' chase ended on a tense 6-305 in Port of Spain on Friday.

The home side needed 15 runs off the last over but the yorkers of medium-pacer Mohammed Siraj limited Romario Shepherd and Akeal Hossain to 11.

The series opener was closer than many expected with in-form India arriving from a series win against reigning world champions England, while West Indies were swept aside by a visiting Bangladesh side.

Both sides started well and finished slow.

A 117-run stand for the second wicket between opener Kyle Mayers (75) and Shamarh Brooks (46) gave West Indies the ideal launch.

The hosts needed 90 runs off the last 10 overs and Brandon King kept their hopes alive with his third ODI fifty.

Shepherd's unbeaten 38 off 25 balls and Hossain's 32 not out was just enough to make the ending suspenseful, but not enough in the face of expert bowling by leg-spinner Yuzvendral Chahal (2-58) and Siraj (2-57).

"(Indian coach Rahul Dravid) always backs me, he's always told me to back my strength and when your coaches and management give that much confidence and you're always ready (to go)," Chahal said.

India captain Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill, their Test opener only making his fourth ODI appearance, gave the visitors an ideal start with a brisk 119-run first-wicket partnership.

Gill reached his first fifty in ODIs, in 36 balls, followed by Dhawan in 53 balls before the right-hander ran himself out on 64 by underestimating the quickness of West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran.

The scoring slowed but Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer took India past 200 and Dhawan was on the brink of his 18th ODI century when he slashed straight to a fielder. His 97 from 99 balls included 10 boundaries and three sixes.

Iyer also achieved a fifty, his 10th, but was out to a brilliant one-handed catch by Pooran.

The West Indies bowlers pegged back India to 83 runs off the last 15 overs on a pitch that slowed considerably.

After nine overs of frustration, Axar Patel and Deepak Hooda plundered 20 runs off the 48th over, then both were bowled by the 49th by Alzarri Joseph (2-61).

India's total looked imposing and was enough for a sixth consecutive win over West Indies since late 2018.

The second of three ODIs, all at the same ground, is on Sunday.