West Indies beat overconfident India to level ODI series 1-1

 

Team India's batting proved to be a letdown in the second consecutive ODI against the West Indies.  The host team defeated India by 6 wickets.  With this, the 3-match series has become equal to 1-1.  The Indian team, playing under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya, could score only 181 runs while batting first in the match.  The batsmen did not take any lesson from the first ODI and even after a good start in this match, the team could not reach the score of 200 runs.  Opener Ishan Kishan scored the maximum 55 runs.  Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Moti and fast bowler Romerio Shepherd took 3 wickets each .  In response, the West Indies team achieved the target for 4 wickets in 36.4 overs.  Captain Shai Hope remained unbeaten after scoring a solid 63 runs that included some sublime shots .  He was also chosen as the player of the match.

 The Indian team engaged in preparations for the ODI World Cup landed in the second ODI without captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.  Sanju Samson and Axar Patel were included in the playing-11 in their place.  Chasing the target of 182 runs, Brendan King and Kyle Mayers got West Indies off to a good start.  Both added 53 runs for the first wicket.  King scored 15 and Mayers scored 36 runs.  Alyque Athanaze who landed at number-3, could score only 6 runs.  In this way the score became 72 runs for 3 wickets.

 Shimron Hetmyer failed for the second consecutive ODI.  He became the victim of left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav after scoring 9 runs.  After falling for 4 wickets at 92 runs, Shai Hope and Keasy Carty made an unbeaten half-century partnership to ensure the team's victory.  Hope scored 63 runs off 80 balls and hit 2 fours and 2 sixes.  At the same time, Carty played an important innings of 48 runs in 65 balls.  Hit 6 fours.  Fast bowler Shardul Thakur got 3 wickets.

Earlier, West Indies captain Shai Hope won the toss and decided to bowl.  Ishaan Kishan scored 55 runs off 55 balls.  He made a half-century in the second consecutive ODI and played belligerent shots .  Shubman Gill contributed 34 runs off 49 balls.  Both got off to a good start by adding 90 runs for the first wicket but as soon as this partnership broke, the rhythm deteriorated and the Indian team lost 5 wickets for 23 runs in the next 7.2 overs.

 

 The game was interrupted twice due to rain, but the West Indies bowlers continued to perform brilliantly.  Ishan Kishan has staked his claim for the World Cup was out to a brilliant catch at point .  Sanju Samson, who landed at number-3, could only score 9 runs in 19 balls.  At the same time, Akshar Patel, who played at number-4, returned to the pavilion, out to a vicious short ball  after scoring just one run.  Captain Hardik Pandya (7) also could not get going  with the bat.  He was dismissed while pulling the ball of Jayden Seals.

 Suryakumar Yadav was dismissed after scoring 24 runs off 25 balls.  He missed the second consecutive chance in the ODI series against the West Indies before the World Cup.  He definitely hit 3 fours, but Gudakesh Moti dismissed him on the ball going out of the off stump.  Ravindra Jadeja scored 10 and Shardul Thakur scored 16 runs.  The entire team got all out after scoring 181 runs in 40.5 overs.  That means there was still 55 balls to play. West Indies achieved the modest target after initial hiccups .  The third and deciding match of the series will be played in Trinidad on Tuesday, 1 August.