The hosts kept the dangerous assault by two of West Indies’ strongest middle-order batters Rovmen Powell and Nicholas Pooran on a flat pitch to come up triumphant by just eight runs in the second T20I of the three-match series on February 18.
West Indies began very shakily in their run-chase, reduced to 59 for two halfway through the ninth over. Their openers Brandon King (22 off 30) and Kyle Mayers (9 off 10) both struggled very badly to smash the ball off the square despite evident intent on boundary-hitting. At this point, it seemed India were in for another straightforward victory.
But WI found their fighters in Pooran and Powell, who added another 100 runs to their team’s total in the next 10 overs. Pooran smashed a 41-ball 62 featuring five fours and three sixes before his dismissal, while Powell remained unbeaten at the end with a mighty 36-ball 68, including four fours and five sixes.
Unfortunately still, the poor work done with the bat earlier in the innings came back to haunt the Calypso Kings, who, despite their threatening counterattack, could never really take the ascendancy in the run-chase. The 19th over is where the game went too far out of their hands.
India’s spearhead Bhuvneshwar Kumar showed off his experience and smarts in delivering an over that went for just four runs and included Pooran’s precious wicket. It meant that, despite Powell smashing Harshal Patel for a pair of sixes in the final over with 25 needed, West Indies fell eight runs short of levelling the series 1-1.
Bhuvneshwar, under scrutiny for injuries and loss of form, reminded everyone why he has always been rated so highly. Not just the 19th over, the right-arm pacer controlled the game beautifully throughout his quota and ended with figures of one for 29 off his four overs on a flat surface.
Wristspinners Yuzvendra Chahal (1/31) and Ravi Bishnoi (1/30) were other heroes of the Indian win, ending with miserly spells in the game’s context on a flat pitch with the wet ball.
In the first half, India nearly scaled the 190-200 mark, thanks largely to a refreshing knock from Virat Kohli, who looked to break the shackles from the very beginning and made a 41-ball 52. Soon after Kohli’s departure, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant took control of things and blasted the West Indies attack.
Pant, importantly holding his postures at the crease and playing percentage shots, played a knock of 52 not out off just 28 deliveries. His innings featuring seven fours and 1 six was key to India’s victory. As was No.6 Venkatesh Iyer’s notable cameo in partnership with Pant. Having to bat lower down the order despite making the cut to the T20I side as an opener in the IPL, second game in a row, Iyer showcased his flexibility and smashed 33 off 18 balls.
As has been the case with their cricket for long, West Indies lacked a collective effort with the ball. While Bhuvneshwar, Chahal and Bishnoi took their game a notch higher in critical moments for India, the visitors had only off-spinner Roston Chase (3/25) emerging as their toughest bowling prospect for the hosts.
Brief scores
India 186/5 in 20 overs (Pant 52*, Kohli 52; Chase 3/25) beat West Indies 178/3 in 20 overs (Powell 68*, Pooran 62; Kumar 1/29) by 8 runs
