Team India survived a scare having lost the second ODI against the West Indies as they came back strongly in the series decider to clinch the three-match assignment 2-1 at Brian Lara Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad on Tuesday, August 1. There were several questions over the Indian team coming into the series decider after a colossal loss in the second game, but a good batting surface meant the Indian batters made merry and posted a massive score of 351 runs on the board, which proved to be too much for the home side. The West Indies were bowled out for 151 as India recorded their biggest-ever away win against West Indies in the ODIs.
It all started with Mukesh Kumar dismissing three West Indies batters including skipper Shai Hope in the powerplay itself as he got the initial movement, which troubled their top-order. Mukesh was almost unplayable with the vicious outswing as the West Indies batters failed to read him properly and eventually gave their wickets away.
West Indies were reduced to 17/3 before Jaydev Unadkat, who was making his comeback after nine years, didn't take much time to get a wicket as he dismissed Keacy Carty. After which, it was an all Shardul Thakur show. Shardul first dismissed Shimron Hetmyer and Romario Shepherd to reduce the West Indies to 50/6. Kuldeep Yadav then took two quick wickets as West Indies continued to lose the plot before Alzarri Joseph and Gudakesh Motie stitched a 55-run stand.
Shardul the partnership breaker arrived yet again and got the last two wickets quickly to seal the deal for India while ending up with four wickets. This is also India's 13th consecutive ODI series win against the West Indies.
Earlier, it was the opening combination of Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill that helped India gain an early advantage with a 143-run partnership. Kishan continued his purple patch with the third half-century of the series while Gill after a quiet tour of the Caribbean finally got a big score under his belt going into the T20Is as he played a well-compiled knock of 85 runs.
Sanju Samson then gave a good audition with a handy 51-run knock before stand-in skipper Hardik Pandya finally came into his own. Pandya took some time initially to get going as India had lost a few wickets in quick succession but made sure to finish the innings on a high. Pandya remained unbeaten on 70 off 52 as India got to 351, which is their highest score when not a single batsman scored a century.
