West Indies batters again took their team over the 300-run mark, with opener Shai Hope scoring a century in his 100th one-day international, but it still wasn’t enough to beat India on Sunday.
Axar Patel smashed a 35-ball 64 not out, including the winning six, to secure a series-clinching two-wicket win for India with two balls to spare. India leads the three-match series 2-0.
The West Indies won the toss and chose to bat first at Queen’s Park Oval, reaching 311-6 thanks to Hope’s 135-ball 115 — with eight fours and three sixes — and 74 from captain Nicholas Pooran, who clouted six sixes.
India chased down the imposing target, scoring 312-8 in 49.4 overs. As well as No. 7 Patel’s match-winning innings, key knocks came from Shreyas Iyer (63 runs in 71 balls), Sanju Samson (54 in 51) and opener Shubman Gill (43 in 49).
India started the last over needing eight runs for victory but with only two wickets left. Medium pacer Kyle Mayers (2-48) bowled the over and only two runs came off his first three deliveries, leaving India still requiring six runs off three balls.
Patel only need the one, smashing Mayers’ fourth delivery for six.
India won the series opener by three runs on Friday after West Indies chose to field first — reaching 305-6 in reply to India’s 308-7.
Both teams made one change Sunday from that match — injured Gudakesh Motie was replaced by fellow spinner Hayden Walsh for West Indies, while Prasidh Krishna lost his place in the India lineup to Avesh Khan, who returned 0-54 from six overs.
Shardul Thakur was India’s most successful bowler with 3-54 in seven overs, dismissing both Hope, who was caught by Patel, and Pooran.
The series-concluding ODI is on Wednesday.
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