Shreyas Iyer’s responsible 80 off 111 balls coupled with bowlers’ brilliance helped India beat West Indies by 96 runs in the inconsequential third ODI in Ahmedabad at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday.
With the win, India clinched the three-match series 3-0. West Indies’ batting unit once again let them down while chasing the challenging 266-run target. Skipper Nicholas Pooran and Odean Smith chipped in with 34 and 36, respectively, but others fell cheaply. The Indian attack bundled out West Indies for 167 in 37.1 overs.
The match became a one-sided affair as the visitors could not manage to build a partnership. Although Pooran looked in great form, the lack of support from the other end left him helpless. Smith played a cameo, which saw three sixes and as many fours, but the task at hand was too big for him.
Towards the end, Alzarri Joseph (29) and Hayden Walsh (13) frustrated India with their 47-run stand for the ninth wicket. Earlier, a solid 110-run partnership for the fourth wicket by Iyer and Rishabh Pant powered India to post 265 after opting to bat. The duo rebuilt India’s innings following an early collapse, which had reduced them to 42/3.
Rohit got an inside edge while attempting a cover drive and his middle stump flattened, while Kohli was caught by Shai Hope after nicking one down the leg-side. Odean Smith further added to India’s top-order batting woes as Shikhar Dhawan departed for 10. Iyer and Pant steadied the ship and soon found some momentum to accelerate. The right-hander targeted Smith for a couple of boundaries. Iyer, who had missed the first two ODIs owing to Covid-19, brought up his half-century off 74 balls. Walsh returned and got the crucial wicket of Iyer (80), who gave a simple catch to Darren Bravo at long off. Nonetheless, Washington Sunder (33) and Deepak Chahar (38) ensured a strong finish.
Brief scores: India 265/10 in 50 overs (Shreyas Iyer 80, Rishabh Pant 56; Jason Holder 4/34) beat West Indies 167/10 in 37.1 overs (Odean Smith 36; Prasidh Krishna 3/27, Mohammed Siraj 3/29) by 96 runs.
