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India seals T20I series

kriralok desk:

Quickfire start? Tick. Power-hitting problem? Tick. Setting a target? Tick.

India’s star-studded batting line-up couldn’t have asked for a better venue – and more importantly situation – than the series-decider versus West Indies at the Wankhede Stadium to overcome recent obstacles that have jeopardised it in the shortest format.

No wonder then that a gargantuan total of 240 for three – with Rohit Sharma and K.L. Rahul laying the bricks in the first half and a vociferous captain Virat Kohli building vertex at the death – proved to be too much to handle for West Indies.

While the Windies batsmen – with opener Evin Lewis unable to bat after being stretchered off the field having hurt his leg in the outfield – crumbled under the pressure, India’s rejigged bowling combination – with Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav coming in for Ravindra Jadeja and Yuzvendra Chahal – stuck to its task to complete a convincing 67-run win.

But the bowlers owed the victory to the famous triumvirate of India’s batting. Ten of the 20 overs in India’s essay saw at least 10 runs being scored, with three of them fetching 20-plus. The trio scored all of India’s runs that came off the bat, plundering 19 fours and 16 sixes to rattle the West Indian bowlers.

Rohit had a field day in his hometown while Rahul was at his wristy best after Kieron Pollard inserted India for the second consecutive match. But Kohli’s finishing touch overshadowed even the duo’s exploits in the first half.

With the openers in superlative touch – Rohit waging his long handle at will and Rahul combining his trademark deft touches and flicks – the Windies bowling went haywire with long-hops and full-tosses being offered in plenty. To the duo’s credit, they didn’t throw their wickets away till the game was virtually taken away from the visitor.

The Powerplay fetched 72 runs, thanks to the duo’s severe assault on all the four bowlers that were employed. Kesrick Williams, whose duels with Kohli have been a highlight of the series so far, was welcomed by Rahul with an uppercut over third-man fence sandwiched between two elegant cover-drives.

ahs/kri/007