Windies implode as India level series

Cricket365
October 13, 2014

An initially competitive West Indies run chase quickly disintegrated as India’s bowlers struck to hand the home side a 48-run victory in the second ODI at Delhi.

After MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to bat, there was early success for the visitors as Shikhar Dhawan was dismissed in the first over, clean bowled by Jerome Taylor.

Ajinkya Rahane was joined at the crease by Ambati Rayudu and the duo added close to 50 runs before Rahane joined his fellow opener back in the pavilion, with Darren Sammy doing the damage on this occasion.

Rayudu followed a couple of over later as Sulieman Benn added his name to the wickets column, leaving India on 74/3 in the 18th over.

That brought Suresh Raina to the crease alongside Virat Kohli and, just as they’d done so many times before, the duo were able to both steady the ship and accelerate the run rate for India in the middle period.

They combined for a 100-run partnership that was only brought to a close when Raina was caught by Kieron Pollard off the bowling of Taylor for 62 in the 37th over.

Kohli did not last much longer than his partner, dismissed for the same total as Raina in the 41st over, but captain Dhoni was on hand to give the Indian innings the final push it required.

Supported by Bhevneshwar Kumar, Dhoni added a quickfire 50 off just 40 balls to lift his side to 263/7 off their 50 overs – a decent score but certainly one the West Indies would have felt capable of overhauling.

The initial signs were promising enough for the visitors. Dwayne Smith and Darren Bravo were solid at the top of the innings, adding 60 in the first 12 overs before Mohammed Shami made the first breakthrough, clean bowling Bravo for 26.

That brought Kieron Pollard to the crease and again the Windies looked solid, with the No 3 batsman ably supporting Smith as the duo combined for a 70-run partnership.

With 15 overs left, the Windies had eight wickets standing and needed just over 100 runs, and they would have felt confident of reaching the target.

Unfortunately for the visitors, they collapsed in the final 15 overs, losing their last eight wickets for just 45 runs as Shami, Jadeja and Amit Mishra all got in on the act.

It was opener Smith’s departure for 97 that precipated the collapse, and aside from small contributions from Marlon Samuels and Ravi Rampaul, none of the remaining West Indies batsman made even the tiniest impact as they were dismissed for 215 runs in the 47th over.

That handed the Indians a 48-run victory and saw them level the series 1-1 going into the third ODI at Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.