Kohli conquers Cuttack and Windies
India skipper Virat Kohli got his rhythm back at the right time as the right-hander hit 85 to help India win the three-match series against West Indies with a four-wicket victory in the series-deciding third and final ODI at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack yesterday.
After a 122-run opening partnership between Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul in chase of a target of 316 runs, the home side lost a few quick wickets but the Indian skipper rewrote history at the venue to confirm India’s 10th straight series win against the West Indies.
The master batsman had an aggregate of only 34 runs in his previous four matches at the venue and went to the decider with scores of 4 and 0 in the first two games.
Although Kohli departed with 30 runs still to get in 23 balls, Ravindra Jadeja finished the job with eight balls to spare with an unbeaten 40 off 31 balls.
Earlier, Nicholas Pooran and Kieron Pollard hit attacking half-centuries to power the West Indies to 315 for five.
Pooran, who hit 89 off 63 balls, and Pollard, 74 not out, put on 135 runs for the fifth wicket as the West Indies put up a challenging total after being in trouble at 144 for four in Cuttack.
The left-right batting pair of Pooran and Pollard, who hit three fours and seven sixes in his 51-ball blitz, combined to rebuild the innings and then took the attack to the opposition bowlers.
India paceman Navdeep Saini claimed two wickets on debut, including sending the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer back to the pavilion for 37. Hetmyer’s wicket ended a 62-run third-wicket stand with Roston Chase who was bowled by a toe-crushing yorker from Saini for 38.
But Pooran counter attacked and completed his second successive fifty. He hit 10 fours and three sixes in his knock that lasted 64 balls before falling to Shardul Thakur with a mistimed hit to deep point.
Pollard hit two successive boundaries to raise his fifty and pulverised the bowling in the final few overs as West Indies managed 77 runs from the last 30 deliveries.
SCORES IN BRIEF
WEST INDIES: 315 for five (Pooran 89, Hope 42, Pollard 74 not; Saini 2-58)
INDIA: 316 for 6 in 48.4 overs (Sharma 63, Rahul 77, Kohli 85, Jadeja 39 not out; Paul 3-59)
Result: India won by four wickets and won the three-match series 2-1.
Player-of-the-match: Virat Kohli
Player-of-the-series: Rohit Sharma
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