Cuttack: The nerveless Shardul Thakur did what the peerless Virat Kohli could not, his most defining cameo powering India to a series-clinching four-wicket victory over the West Indies in the third ODI here on Sunday.
India’s top three — Rohit Sharma (63), K L Rahul (77) and Kohli (85) — fired in unison in a 316-run chase but it got slippery in the end when the Indian captain left the scene with 30 required off 23 balls. It was then that Thakur, in the company of a composed Ravindra Jadeja (39 not out), smashed 17 runs off six balls with the help of a six and four off Sheldon Cottrell to seal the issue in his team’s favour with eight balls to spare. This was India’s 10th successive series win over the West Indies. Displaying panache and patience in equal measure, Kohli made 85 off 81 balls, but got out to an innocuous Keemo Paul delivery with India someway off the target.
But Thakur had other ideas after Kohli became the year’s highest scorer with 2455 runs. Set a challenging target of 316 in the series-decider, India were cruising at 122 for no loss when they lost Rohit was dismissed for a run-a-ball 63 in the 22nd over. Rahul (77 off 89 balls) and Shreyas Iyer fell for the addition of 21 runs, and the task became tricky when Rishabh Pant was bowled by Paul.
At that stage, India were 201 in the 35th over but Kohli steadied the ship and took India closer to the target.
However, for a change, he could not finish the job. In the last five years this is the first time Kohli has got out in the 80s or 90s in an ODI chase. Earlier, skipper Kieron Pollard saved his best and, along with a savage Nicholas Pooran, helped the West Indies post 315 for five. (PTI)
Score Board
WEST INDIES: 315/5 in 50 Overs
Evin Lewis c Saini b Ravindra Jadeja 21
Shai Hope b Shami 42
Roston Chase b Saini 38
Shimron Hetmyer c Kuldeep Yadav b Saini 37
Nicholas Pooran c Jadeja b Thakur 89
Kieron Pollard not out 74
Jason Holder not out 7
Extras (lb-4, w-3) 7
Bowling: Shardul Thakur 10-0-66-1, Mohammed Shami 10-2-66-1, Navdeep Saini 10-0-58-2, Kuldeep Yadav 10-
0-67-0, Ravindra Jadeja 10-0-54-1.
INDIA: 316/6 in 48.4 Overs
Rohit Sharma c Shai Hope b Holder 63
Lokesh Rahulc Shai Hope b Alzarri Joseph 77
Virat Kohli (c)b Keemo Paul 85
Shreyas Iyerc Alzarri Joseph b Keemo Paul 7
Rishabh Pant b Keemo Paul 7
Kedar Jadhavb Cottrell 9
Ravindra Jadeja not out 39
Shardul Thakur not out 17
Extras (lb 2, w 9, nb 1) 12
Bowling: Sheldon Cottrell 10-1-74-1, Jason Holder 10- 0-63-1, Keemo Paul 9.4-0-59-3, Roston Chase 4-0-19-0,
Khary Pierre 7-0-46-0, Alzarri Joseph 8-0-53-1. (PTI)