On a flat track, the Men in Blue prevailed over West Indies, winning by a massive margin of 67 runs to seal the series 2-1 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. After being sent in to bat first, the Indians scored a massive 240 in their quota of overs, with the changes in their tactic and approach all too visible.
The Indian opening duo of KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma walked in with renewed zeal, and they made their intentions clear from the very first over, as Rohit sent the second ball of the game over mid-off. They managed 72 runs in the powerplay overs and surged past 100 in just the eighth over. The openers put up a massive 135 on the board for the first wicket, after which Rohit was dismissed for 71.
However, Rahul at the other end kept his momentum and scored 56 in the first 32 balls that he faced. However, once Virat Kohli walked out at number 4 – with Rishabh Pant batting at 3 – the wicket-keeper went into a shell and allowed the skipper to wreak havoc. The wristy strokes were a delight to watch as he reached his second fifty of the series in no time. He managed to score 32 runs off the last 10 balls that he faced and helped India over the 230-run mark.
Meanwhile, Rahul, who needed 9 off the last three balls of the innings to reach his third T20I ton, was dismissed while going for a big heave, and was sent back for 91 by Sheldon Cottrell.
The second half of the innings was all about the comeback of Mohammad Shami, as the Bengal pacer varied his line and lengths to control the big-hitting rivals. Already sans the dashing Evin Lewis, who had injured his knee in the first innings and had to be stretchered out, the Windies players needed one of the top-order players to get a big knock. However, consistent wickets meant that they were unable to get in the game, and though skipper Kieron Pollard scored 68 in 39, in the end, it was far too many to chase down.
The action now shifts to the first ODI between the two teams that will be held in Chennai on Sunday.
