Visakhapatnam:
A double whammy by Mohammed Shami (3/39) in the 29th over and a hat-trick four overs later from Kuldeep Yadav (3/52) coupled with Rohit Sharma (159, 138b, 17×4, 5×6) and KL Rahul’s (102, 104b, 8×4, 3×6) blitzkrieg earlier changed the equation. By virtue of these brilliance, India gave it back to the West Indies to clinch the second ODI by 107 runs to draw level in the three-match series here at the Dr YS Rajashekara Reddy ACA VDCA Cricket Stadium Wednesday. This was also India’s fifth biggest win against West Indies in ODIs.
Chasing a mammoth, 388, the Windies openers Evin Lewis (30) and Shai Hope (78, 85b, 7×4, 3×6) made a steady start to reach 56 without loss at the end of first powerplay. Shardul Thakur (1/55) who replaced all-rounder Shivam Dube, for the match, gave India the breakthrough when he scalped Lewis at deep square straight at the hands of Shreyas Iyer. A couple of quick wickets followed as the visitors went from 61/1 in 11 overs to 86/3 four overs later.
However, the dismissals didn’t dent the Windies’ hopes as the Lewis along with Nicholas Pooran (75, 47b, 6×4, 6×6) steadied the Caribbean ship with a 104-run partnership for the fourth wicket. With the dew factor coming into play, the duo went after the Indian bowlers dispatching them all over the park. Pooran particularly took Ravindra Jadeja (2/74) to cleaners and the left-hander probably played the shot of the day when he flicked Shami for a six over deep square leg leaving the bowler and crowd stunned.
However, it was Shami, who brought India back into the game giving the much-needed breakthrough scalping Pooran at long leg in the safe hands of Kuldeep. The Bengal pacer was at his best again dismissing the big man Kieron Pollard for a golden duck in the next delivery caught behind.
The icing on the cake was done by Kuldeep four overs later when the left-arm chinaman claimed a hat-trick dismissing dangerman Hope, Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph to dent all hopes for the visitors. In the process Kuldeep also became the first Indian bowler to claim two hat-tricks in international cricket. He thus joined the elite list which has Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga (three) and Chaminda Vaas (two), Pakistan’s Wasim Akram (two) and Saqlain Mushtaq (two), and New Zealander Trent Boult (two) with more than one hat-trick at international level.
Earlier, after a below-par show in the series opener in Chennai, openers Rohit and Rahul were at their brutal best as India piled up a mammoth 387/5. Already down 0-1 in the series, the Indian batsmen made most use of the batting conditions and belter on offer to give the visitors a stiff target to chase.
The pitch in Vizag has always helped the batsmen and the Rahul-Rohit combo just exploited the conditions to immaculate perfection. Without any hara-kiri, the duo waited for the loose deliveries to dispatch them into the stands.
While Rahul donned the attacking role, Rohit played the second fiddle rotating the strike and giving able support to his partner. Having already stamped his authority as an opener in the absence of injured Shikhar Dhawan, Rahul’s delicate square cuts and wristy flicks off Keemo Paul (1/57) and Alzarri Joseph (1/68) were treat to the eyes.
On the other hand, Rohit was very particular with his shot selection and was on lookout for the bad deliveries to milk on those. In the process, the India vice-captain also became the highest run scorer in ODIs in the current calendar year as India brought up their 100 in 20.1 overs. Rohit now has 1427 runs in 2019, with merely 12 days to go for year-end.
The Hitman finally brought up his 28th ton in 107 balls pushing Jason Holder for a single. This was also his seventh century of the year — most by any player in 2019. Rahul who was brutal initially slowed down a bit after his half century and crawled to his third ODI century in the 37th over off Joseph. However, the 227-run opening partnership was finally broken when Rahul sliced a wide delivery in the same over only for Chase to take a low catch at third man boundary.
The score soon became 235/2 when skipper Virat Kohli mistimed a short ball only to hole in the hands of Chase off Pollard in mid-wicket for a golden duck bringing the entire crowd to a silence. The dismissals didn’t bother Rohit at all, as the Mumbaikar went at his brutal best, hitting the Windies bowlers at will. At a moment it looked like Rohit is on way to his fourth double century in the 50-over format, but an edge off a Sheldon Cottrell delivery brought an end to his devastating innings.
For the visitors, the bowlers seemed to have lost their rhythm from the last match and that was visible in their performance. Barring former skipper Holder and Chase, no other bowlers were able to contain the Indian opening duo as they went hammer and tongs. And the frustration was evident on Windies skipper Pollard as he was lost for options to break the partnership.
With such a solid platform been laid, last match half centurions Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer (53, 32b, 3×4, 4×6) also decided to come to the party as the left-handed-right-handed combination went hammer and tongs after the tired Windies bowlers. While Pant lasted for only 16 balls making a whirlwind 39, the highlight of the 23-ball 74-run stand was Iyer’s four sixes and a boundary off Chase in the 47th over.
Koushik Paul, OP
