Third one-day international, Antigua: |
India 228-7 (46.2 ovs) beat West Indies 225-8 (50 ovs) by three wickets |
India sealed a one-day international series win over the West Indies with a three-wicket victory in Antigua.
The tourists lead the five-match contest 3-0 courtesy of a brilliant 86 not out from Rohit Sharma, overhauling West Indies' total of 225-8.Andre Russell's 92 was the highlight of the day, striking eight fours and five sixes from only 64 deliveries.
India collapsed to 92-6 before an 88-run stand between Sharma and Harbhajan Singh (41) guided them to safety.
West Indies captain Darren Sammy needed a victory at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium - built for the 2007 Cricket World Cup - to maintain his side's hopes of overhauling India's 2-0 series lead.
India skipper Suresh Raina won the toss and elected to field and was instantly rewarded with the wicket of Kirk Edwards in the second over when the opener was caught behind off Munaf Patel for a duck.
Lendl Simmons (45) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (28) consolidated the innings in a solid second-wicket partnership, but the latter's dismissal - unfortunately run out after losing grip of his bat attempting to make his ground with a quick single - triggered a middle-order crisis as the hosts collapsed from 65-1 to 96-7 in 15 overs.
Leg-spinner Amit Mishra (3-28) was the instigator, dismissing Marlon Samuels, Danza Hyatt and Simmons in successive overs, ably assisted by Harbhajan's frugal bowling from the other end.
But India's hopes of wrapping up the tail were dashed by a sensational counter-attack from Russell, playing only his sixth one-day international.
The Jamaican rebuilt the innings alongside wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh (36), adding 78 for the eighth wicket, unleashing an array of clean, explosive strokes all around the ground.
The 23-year-old reached his maiden one-day international half century from 50 deliveries before spanking an incredible 42 runs from his final 14 deliveries, taking the West Indies to a creditable 225-8 from their 50 overs.
India's response began briskly through wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel, but Sammy removed opener Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli in successive deliveries in the eighth over.
And the tourists continued to lose wickets and were soon teetering at 92-6 in the 23rd over when Yusuf Pathan was caught by Simmons off leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo.
But Harbhajan, whose batting skills have become a vital component of India's lower order over the past 18 months, provided excellent support for Sharma in an industrious seventh-wicket stand.
Sharma was at his dismissive best, imperious through the offside while Singh batted intelligently, rotating the strike to give his established partner the majority of the bowling.
Harbhajan's dismissal in the 41st over brought Praveen Kumar (25 not out) to the crease and the seamer maintained the attacking intent, striking two lusty sixes as West Indies' hopes of victory quickly evaporated.
And Sharma ensured India took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series when he launched Kemar Roach over mid-on for four with 22 deliveries to spare.
Match scorecard:
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