Nicholas Pooran’s 10th T20I half-century ensured West Indies a 2-0 lead in the five-match series against India, inspiring the Caribbean side to a two-wicket win at the National Stadium, Providence yesterday.
India won the toss and opted to take first strike but after a shaky start, managed to reach 152 for seven from their allotted overs. West Indies then reached 155 for eight with seven balls to spare.
West Indies lost Brandon King off the first delivery of the chase as Suryakumar Yadav plucked the catch at cover while three balls later, Johnson Charles departed in a similar fashion.
The hosts then slipped to 33 for three when Kyle Mayers (15) was trapped leg before wicket to Arshdeep Singh despite reviewing the decision.
The stage was set as the few thousand fans scattered across Providence went silent. Pooran was joined by his captain, Rovman Powell and they put on 57 for the fourth wicket.
Pooran, a former captain, muscled four sixes and six fours during his 40-ball 67 while Powell played the supporting role with 21 from 19 balls before he found deep third man trying to hang back with a paddled bat looking to guide it over the ropes but only managing to give Hardik Pandya his third wicket.
Local boy, Shimron Hetmyer survived an early scare with an appeal for caught at first slip but went on to make a pedestrian 22 from just as many balls. He struck one four and one six, hoisted into the Green Stand over mid-wicket.
Yuzvendra Chahal trapped Hetmyer leg before wicket while the television umpire had to confirm the sharp work of Ishan Kishan behind the stumps to have Jason Holder dismissed for a three-ball duck.
Akeal Hosein and Alzarri Joseph, however, saw their team over the line with unbeaten scores of 16 and 10 respectively. Pandya ended with 3-35 while Chahal’s leg spin returned 2-19.
When India batted, there approached seemed carefree as Kishan looked to muscle the ball over cover but managed to drop just short of Mayers off the first delivery of the match.
West Indies pounced on this early lack of concentration and removed Shubman Gill and Yadav compliments of a direct hit from Mayers to see India fall to 18 for two.
Nevertheless, Tilak Varma came to the crease and hammered five fours and one six on his way to 51 from 41 balls in his second match of his T20I career. He added 42 for the third wicket with Kishan who made 27 from 23 balls before being bowled by Romario Shepherd.
Pandya got in the action with the bat, hitting two sixes in an 18-ball 24 while Axar Patel made 14 from 12 but no other batsman reached double figures.
Shepherd and Joseph ended with 2-28 while Hosein took 2-29.
The third match will be played on Tuesday at the same venue from 10.30 hours.
