Axar Patel smashed India’s second-fastest One Day International 50 against the West Indies yesterday to lead the way in a collective batting effort in a big chase, as India overhauled the West Indies’ 311 in the 2nd One Day International at Queens Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Shai Hope’s hundred in his 100th One Day International and captain, Nicholas Pooran’s attacking 74 went in vain, as West Indies lost the match and with it, the series, despite dominating most of India’s innings.
Shreyas Iyer (63) and Sanju Samson (54) also hit half-centuries for India, but Patel’s unbeaten 64 off just 35 balls turned the tables in the last ten overs.
India needed 100 to win from 60 balls with five wickets in hand. Axar Patel and Deepak Hooda were at the crease. Hooda fell for 33 with 56 to get off 36, leaving Patel and Shardul Thakur to complete the job. By then, Patel had already hit three sixes.
The turning point came when 48 was required off the last five overs. Though he dismissed Thakur, fast bowler, Alzarri Joseph conceded 16 runs including two above-waist full-toss no-balls in the 46th over, and West Indies missed running out No. 10 batsman, Avesh Khan off the last ball.
Next over, Patel hit two fours and Khan added one more off fast bowler, Romario Shepherd. Suddenly the equation was 19 runs off 18 balls.
Khan also collected his share of runs. On his One Day International debut, he conceded 54 runs off 6 overs in the West Indies innings. With the bat he hit ten off 12 balls and left Patel to score the last 8 runs in the company of Mohammed Siraj.
Patel got a full toss from medium pacer, Kyle Mayers and sent it flying over the bowler’s head to finish things off with two balls remaining.
The final scores: The West Indies 311-6 off 50 overs, India 312-8 off 49.4 overs.
India have an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the 3-match series with the 3rd and final match scheduled for Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain on Wednesday at 9.30 a. m.
