West Indies draw level in series after India suffer batting collapse in 2nd ODI
West Indies, on Saturday, July 29, defeated India by six wickets in the second game of the three-match ODI series at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.
With the win, the hosts not only made a comeback, but drew level in the series with one match remaining. Shai Hope brought forth all his experience as he stayed not out on 63 runs off 80 balls with two fours and as many sixes. Brandon King and Kyle Mayers put on 53 for the opening wicket to lay the platform. Thereafter, the Caribbean team lost wickets while chasing 182.
After Shimron Hetmyer got out to Kuldeep Yadav, India would have fancied their chances. But an unbeaten partnership of 91 between Hope and Keacy Carty took West Indies past the finish line with 13.2 overs to spare. Carty shared not out on 48 off 65 with four wickets.
Shardul Thakur picked up three wickets, but to no avail. Kuldeep Yadav, who became the Player of the Match in the first game, picked up one wicket.
INDIA’S BATTING STUTTERS
India, captained by Hardik Pandya in the absence of Rohit Sharma, were thrust into the batting frontier and confronted the challenge head-on.
Setting the wheels of the innings in motion were Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill, who dashed out a riveting 90-run partnership for the opening wicket. Their assertive strokes and calculated risks established a firm foundation for India’s innings.
Kishan backed up his fifty in the series opener with another half-century. He scored 55 runs off as many balls with five fours. However, their dismissals marked a turning point as India began to unravel, losing wickets with alarming regularity.
Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav, who had the chance of getting big scores, faltered. This threw the middle order into disarray, creating ripples that continued until the end of the innings.
With the regular fall of wickets disrupting the flow of their innings, India were bowled out for 181 in just 41.5 overs. The team was dismissed well before the full quota of 50 overs. The West Indian bowling attack was commendable in their strategic dismantling of the Indian batting line-up, showcasing their disciplined, measured performances.
Gudakesh Motie and Romario Shepherd picked up three wickets apiece to rock the Indian batting. Alzarri Joseph, who replaced Dominic Drakes, accounted for two scalps.
Hardik Pandya, leading the Indian team in the absence of Rohit Sharma, was not able to influence the innings to the degree he may have wanted. Hardik scored seven runs before Jayden Seales dismissed him. Virat Kohli’s spot was filled by Axar Patel, a decision that faced stringent scrutiny when India couldn’t muster a competitive total.
The third ODI will take place on Tuesday, August 1 at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad.