The hosts India have returned to the three-match ODI series against the visiting side Windies after claiming a 107-run victory at Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium (Visakhapatnam) on Wednesday (18th December).
Windies captain Kieron Pollard won the toss and decided to field first. However, the hosts totally dominated in the entire game. In the first innings, India scored a mammoth total of 387/5 (50 overs). Later, Windies were bowled out for 280 runs (43.3 overs).
Indian bowlers controlled the second innings, Kuldeep Yadav became the first Indian to claim two international hat-tricks
Windies openers Evin Lewis and Shai Hope provided a good start with the 61 runs partnership. But that momentum was disturbed due to three quick wickets, including breaking up the opening partnership after dismissing Evin Lewis (30). While Shimron Hetmyer (4) and Roston Chase (4) failed to fight, Hope and Nicholas Pooran built up another strong partnership. Their fourth-wicket partnership added 106 runs, but after that, their quick wickets failed to protect that innings.
While Pooran smashed 75 runs off just 47 balls (6 fours and 6 sixes), Hope hit 78 runs off 85 balls (7 fours and 3 sixes).
At first, Mohammed Shami managed to bag back-to-back wickets. Then, the left-arm chinaman Kuldeep Yadav registered his second ODI hat-trick and became the first Indian bowler to claim more than one hat-trick in international cricket career. This time Kuldeep secured his hat-trick after dismissing Shai Hope, Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph in the 33rd over of that innings. Those bowling performances forced Windies to go down from 192/3 to 210/8.
Though the tailenders fought very hard, they were too far from their victory. For the ninth wicket, Keemo Paul and ODI debutant Khary Pierre set up the 50 runs partnership. While Pierre scored 21 runs, Paul scored 46 runs off 42 balls (4 fours and 3 sixes).
The right-arm pacer Mohammed Shami (3/39) and the left-arm chinaman Kuldeep Yadav (3/52) bagged three wickets each while the left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja (2/74) took two wickets. Shardul Thakur (1/55) was the other man to scalp one wicket in that innings.
Indian openers provided a good start, middle-order batsmen maintained the momentum
Openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul provided a solid start with an unbreakable partnership. They comfortably stretched the partnership and completed their respective ODI centuries. Rohit Sharma was the first man to reach the century as his 28th ODI century came in 107 balls. Few minutes after that century, KL Rahul registered his third ODI century in 102 balls.
Rohit-Rahul put the opening partnership of 227 runs before Rahul lost his wicket on 102 runs off 104 balls (8 fours and 3 sixes). Three balls later, captain Virat Kohli lost his wicket on a golden duck. But the situation was controlled by Rohit and Shreyas Iyer with the 60 runs partnership for the third wicket.
After Rohit Sharma lost his wicket on 159 runs off 138 balls (17 fours and 5 sixes), Iyer performed furious batting along with the wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant. They put up 73 runs partnership for the fourth wicket in just 25 balls. During that partnership, they managed to score 31 runs in 47th over that was bowled by Roston Chase and it was the record runs in an over for India on ODI history. While Pant was dismissed on 39 runs off 16 balls (3 fours and 4 sixes), Iyer smashed his fourth consecutive ODI half-centuries and managed to score 53 off 32 balls (3 fours and 4 sixes) before losing his wicket. Kedar Jadhav remained not out on 16 off 10 balls.
Only Sheldon Cottrell (2/83) managed to pick up more than one wicket in that innings, but he was very expensive.
With this result, the series is now standing in the level position with the 1-1 result. The third and final match of this series will be the series-decider game that will be played at Cuttack on this Sunday (22nd December).
Here are the Twitter reactions:
Just loved the way Shami bowled his second spell to get rid of Pooran and Pollard and then the sensational over from Kuldeep to pick his second #hatrick in ODIs. #INDvsWI @StarSportsIndia
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) December 18, 2019
Fantastic from the batsmen thn bowling was impressive too by team https://t.co/eozT2EBydm come back ? #INDvsWI #rohit #rahul #shami #kuldeep #shreyas #pant
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) December 18, 2019
India had FIVE international hattricks between 1932 and 2018.
In 2019, they have had FOUR.#INDvWI #INDvsWI
— Suneer (@suneerchowdhary) December 18, 2019
The cushion of 387 will ensure India will win. But fielding and dropped catches remain a major concern. Can’t keep dropping regulation catches.
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) December 18, 2019
Rohit & Rahul were brilliant. But @MdShami11 ‘s spell was fantastic and so crucial and @imkuldeep18 just setting new benchmarks, second hattrick in odi cricket already in only 54 matches. @ShreyasIyer15 scoring his 6th 50 in just his 9th odi innngs, these are great signs. #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/SaqBl0ReZS
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) December 18, 2019
Congratulation Rohit Sharma @ImRo45 on becoming the leading run-scorer in ODIs this year with your 28th hundred. Also for becoming the first ODI centurion to score hundreds against 7 different countries in a year. We are proud of you. #INDvsWI #hitman
— Rajat Sharma (@RajatSharmaLive) December 18, 2019
Just like at the Wankhede stadium in the final T20i, India has batted WI out of the game in today’s must-win game. Top three had to fire. Top two did so well that it was no longer about the Big 3 anymore. Iyer and Pant rubber more salt to the wounds. Over to the decider #IndvWI
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) December 18, 2019
Roston Chase after conceding 31 runs in an over. #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/mDnk2LUQuP
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) December 18, 2019
Live scenes from the match. #IndvWI pic.twitter.com/5TR8TCFJ2j
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) December 18, 2019
Rishabh Pant showing the scorecard to his haters #INDvWI #RishabhPant pic.twitter.com/lFr3eFLwKK
— Smit Pujara (@smit_pujara) December 18, 2019