Visakhapatnam: The West Indies beat India by two wickets in a thrilling finish to the second of the three one-day internationals here on Sunday to level the series 1-1.
India scored 288/5 from their 50 overs after being put in to bat and the West Indies chased down the total with three balls to spare.
The visitors did not get off to a good start, losing two wickets – Johnson Charles (12) and Marlon Samuels (8) – in the first six overs with the score only at 23.
But opener Kieran Powell (59) and Darren Bravo (50) put together an important 100-run partnership for the third wicket to put the Windies’ chase back on track.
The Caribbean side lost a few wickets in the middle overs but another good 82-run partnership continued their chase against the climbing run rate.
Lendl Simmons (62) and Darren Sammy (63 not out) took the Windies from 185/5 to 267/6.
However, two quick wickets in the death overs poised the match for an exciting finish but Sammy made sure the visitors reached the target.
Medium pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, offie Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Shami scalped two wickets each while Mohit Sharma took one.
Earlier, India put together a healthy total of 288/5 with dashing batsman Virat Kohli falling one short of another hundred.
Kohli played the anchor’s innings scoring nine boundaries in his 100-ball knock.
He was well supported by left handed opener Shikhar Dhawan (35) after the fall of opener Rohit Sharma (12) in the fifth over.
Middle order batsmen Yuvraj Singh (28) and Suresh Raina (23) chipped in to support Kohli in the middle overs to take India par the 200 mark.
After Kohli fell, being caught at long leg attempting a hook, Mahendra Singh Dhoni played a captain’s knock to take India close to 300.
Dhoni made 51 off 40 balls which included three boundaries and four sixes.
Ravi Rampaul was the pick of the bowlers for the visitors picking up his seventh four-wicket haul.
Jason Holder, Veerasammy Permaul and Sammy clinched a wicket each.
The third and the final match will be held at Green Park in Kanpur on Wednesday.
Dhoni said heavy dew created “unfair” conditions for them as it became difficult to bowl and field on a literally wet ground, which resulted in their two-wicket defeat.
Dhoni said losing the toss put them in a disadvantageous position as dew was certain to play a part in the match.
“It was a very bad toss to lose. At this time of the year, we never expected the dew to fall so early. Right from the first over itself there was plenty of dew. The outfield was completely wet. There was no real swing for the fast bowlers. I don’t think much for the spinners. There was a glimpse of turn when the ball was changed,” Dhoni said at the post match press conference.
“I think it was a bit unfair. It becomes a bit unfair when this time of the year you play with so much of dew with two or three spinners. But that’s part and parcel of the game. It was tough to field with the amount of dew. We saw a few of the fielders throwing the ball to the wicketkeeper and it went to the short third man areas. That’s something tough,” he explained.
Dhoni also backed a struggling Yuvraj Singh, who also dropped Lendl Simmons when the batsman was on 43. He went on to score 62.
“Leave aside batting and bowling, anyone can drop catches. Let’s not be critical about it.”
Sammy was adjudged Man-of-the-Match and had this to say at the post-match presentation: “I must thank my team-mates for giving me another opportunity. It must have been difficult to do that, seeing how the series has gone for me.
“Simmons and I communicated well. We backed ourselves to get 90-odd in the last ten overs. Once I am hitting the ball nicely, it was always good for me. Good to contribute in a crucial game.”
Skipper Dwayne Bravo described it as a “great team effort”.
“Holder and Rampaul gave us a good start, can’t forget young Permaul. Once we got the Indians under 300, we backed ourselves to chase. We planned very well. It was a must-win game for us. We communicated well on the field. The bowlers executed. We fielded well. Well done to young Powell, Simmons and Darren Sammy,” Bravo added. (Agencies)