Pooran, bowlers edge past India to take 2-0 lead
A smart bowling performance and a rampaging Nicholas Pooran ensured that despite hiccups, West Indies defeated India in the second T20I by two wickets, at the Providence Stadium in Guyana, and went 2-0 up in the five-match series. Despite Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill getting India off to a decent start, the latter was caught at backward point off Alzarri Joseph, earning the West Indian quick his hundredth T20I wicket. Soon after, Kyle Mayers, who got Samson run-out last match, scored a direct hit at the striker’s end to get rid of Suryakumar Yadav this time, getting rid of him for just one and potentially saving his team some damage in the powerplay overs. It was Tilak Varma and Kishan who then had to pull off a rescue act, stabilizing things with a stand of 42 in 36 balls. Kishan, however, fell soon after with the run-rate still just over six. Sanju Samson too departed soon after, while Tilak stuck around at the other end. It looked like India might never set the platform to take off at the death. It wasn’t the typical T20I surge, but Tilak Varma, who went on to score a terrific fifty – his first in international cricket – put together 38 runs in 27 balls with Hardik Pandya. This gave the innings a semblance of impetus at the death, propelling India towards a defendable score. Hardik and Tilak departed soon after, followed by Axar Patel, but it was a couple of crucial blows at the end – a four by Arshdeep Singh, and a six by Ravi Bishnoi, that got India 13 runs off the last over and pushed them over the 150-run mark. The chase couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start for the hosts. West Indies lost two wickets in their first over – Brandon King for a golden duck off the first ball of the innings, and Johnson Charles three balls later, caught by Tilak Varma – to Hardik. It was the perfect start for India, until Kyle Mayers and Pooran launched a stunning counterattack on the Indians, and despite Mayers’ stay being cut short by Arshdeep, an 18-run over from Bishnoi ensured West Indies had scored 61 runs in the powerplay at over 10 runs an over – never mind the fact that they had lost three wickets. The fourth-wicket stand between Pooran and Powell was 57 off 37, and the fifth, between Pooran and Hetmyer, was 37 off 25. Pooran was leading the way with a blazing fifty, and only wickets could do the trick. At 126-4, it only took 13 balls for West Indies to be reduced to 129-8. Three runs, four wickets, and the home side were on the verge of a familiar collapse under pressure, triggered by Pooran’s departure. It was all going downhill. Amidst the headless collapse, No. 9 and 10 had an epiphany – that time was on their side. Akeal Hosein and Alzarri Joseph ticked the runs over before a six and a four to finish things off in the penultimate over by Mukesh Kumar, winning the contest with seven balls to spare. The win gives the West Indies a 2-0 lead in the five-match series, with the third T20I also set to be played at the same venue.
(Cricbuzz)
