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Captain Rahul Dravid said the batsmen might have kept their nerves in the climactic moments but it was the bowlers who won the match for India in the thrilling opening one-day international against the West Indies in Jamaica.

"It was the bowling of Harbhajan Singh and Ajit Agarkar that pulled it back for us. Restricting them to 250 instead of 275 was the key," Dravid said after India's five-wicket win on Thursday.

Dravid, who laid the foundation for India's win with a masterly 105, said the team could have probably spared themselves and the fans the heart-stopping moments towards the end.

"It was too tense for the hearts. It was a great act but perhaps we did not play well as we could have," he said.

Chasing a target of 252, India seemed to have nailed it down before they lost Dravid and the swashbuckling Mahendra Singh Dhoni in quick succession to leave the match hanging by the thread.

Mohammad Kaif (66 not out) and Suresh Raina (7 not out) held their nerves and, needing six runs of the last over, sealed the tie in style through a cover driven boundary by Kaif off the penultimate delivery.

Dravid reiterated that he always expected the West Indies, who have slipped down in world rankings, to be no pushovers.

"Certainly we were under no illusions coming into the series. We always knew they were going to be competitive.

"With the kind of players they have, any side would be competitive," he said.

Losing captain Brian Lara promised an improved performance in the second match at the same venue on Saturday.

"We are going to competitive [in the remainder of the series] and there will be an improved performance on Saturday. Maybe we will even win," he said.

Lara said two dropped catches -- of Kaif -- proved crucial and his bowlers too should have been more disciplined.

"We should have got 10-20 runs more. Then we bowled too many extra balls and a couple of catches should have been taken," he said.