India overcame a fighting West Indies to record an eight-run victory in the second T20I here on Friday. The close win gave India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match leg.
West Indies made a fist of the 187-run chase, with Nicholas Pooran (62, 41b, 5x4, 3x6) and Rovman Powell (68 n.o., 36b, 4x4, 5x6) going great guns.
Their 100-run third-wicket stand, which came in 60 balls, took West Indies close to the finish line.
The tide turned in India’s favour when Bhuvneshwar Kumar removed Pooran in the 19th over. A top edge sailed into the night sky, allowing Ravi Bishnoi to settle his feet for a catch at mid-wicket.
From here, the visitor needed 28 runs from nine deliveries. Powell kept the contest alive with two big sixes in the last over bowled by Harshal Patel, but it was not enough to sink the home team.
Both Pooran and Powell benefited from some shoddy work in the field. Bishnoi dropped Pooran when he was on 21, while Bhuvneshwar fluffed a skier off his own bowling when Powell was on 38. The small, sporting crowd at the Eden Gardens applauded some stunning strokeplay from Pooran and Powell.
Earlier, India rode on an electric 35-ball 76-run fifth-wicket partnership between Rishabh Pant (52 n.o., 28b, 7x4, 1x6) and Venkatesh Iyer (33, 18b, 4x4, 1x6) to put up a healthy total.
Upping the ante
The duo joined forces with India struggling for momentum at 106 for four in 13.4 overs, and almost immediately upped the ante.
Just like he did in the first T20I, Venkatesh hit a four off the first delivery he faced. This time it was a fortuitous inside edge which skidded past short fine-leg. Venkatesh let loose in the 17th over, bowled by pacer Jason Holder, pulling a short ball for a six. Pant was severe on anything on the pads, swinging hard across the line. The wicketkeeper-batter drew the biggest cheer when he smashed a full toss from Holder for an almighty mid-wicket six. Virat Kohli, batting at three, notched up his first fifty of this white-ball series. Kohli showed great intent at the start of his knock, taking on speedsters Romario Shepherd and Holder.
When the spinners came on in the middle overs, however, Kohli slowed down considerably. He was taken out by a beauty from off-spinner Roston Chase, who drew him forward and slid one through bat and pad.
Chase was the best bowler on view, taking three for 25. The 29-year-old, who has made his name as a batter, has been a revelation with the ball in the hand in this T20I leg. West Indies was let down by three missed catches. Brandon King put down chances offered by Rohit Sharma and Venkatesh, while Holder misjudged a skier to give Kohli a life.
Pollard’s 100
It was a special outing for Kieron Pollard, who became the first West Indian to earn 100 T20I caps.
