India crush West Indies to level ODI series

TWO centuries and a hat-trick helped India to a crushing 107-run win over West Indies in the second One Day International in India to level the three-match series 1-1.

India’s win on Wednesday gives the home team momentum heading into Sunday’s final match.

Batting first, a 227-run opening partnership between Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul set up India’s massive total of 387/5 in 50 overs.

Sharma cracked 159 off 138 deliveries with 17 fours and five sixes to lead the charge and Rahul lashed 102 off 104 balls with eight fours and three sixes.

Shreyas Iyer chipped in with 53 off 32 balls to propel India close to 400. It was a tough outing for the West Indies bowlers as fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell had the best figures of 2/83 in nine overs.

In reply, Windies openers Evin Lewis and Shai Hope put on 61 for the first wicket in 11 overs. Lewis was the first batsman dismissed for 30 and West Indies were quickly reduced to 86/3 after 16 overs as Shimron Hetmyer and Roston Chase both fell for four.

A 106-run fourth wicket partnership between Hope and Nicholas Pooran gave West Indies a glimmer of hope. However, when Pooran fell for 75 off 47 balls (six fours, six sixes) the regional team slumped from 192/3 in the 30th over to 210/8 after 33 overs. The last three wickets for India in that period was a hat-trick as left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav got the wickets of Hope, Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph.

Hope fell for 78 off 85 balls with seven fours and three sixes. A 50-run ninth wicket partnership between Khary Pierre and Keemo Paul eventually got West Indies to a respectable 280 all out in 43.3 overs. Paul was the last batsman out for 46. Yadav ended with figures of 3/52 in ten overs and Mohammed Shami took 3/39 in 7.3 overs.

SUMMARISED SCORES

India 387/5 (50 overs) (Rohit Sharma 159, KL Rahul 102, Shreyas Iyer 53; Sheldon Cottrell 2/83) vs West Indies 280 (43.3 overs) (Shai Hope 78, Nicholas Pooran 75, Keemo Paul 46; Kuldeep Yadav 3/52, Mohammed Shami 3/39, Ravindra Jadeja 2/74) India won by 107 runs