India seal series against West Indies
India beat West Indies by eight runs to win the second T20 match of the three match series at Eden Gardens today.
In the process India became only the second team with 100 T20 international wins.
With 186 for five on the board, India always looked the favourite. However, WI put on a good show only to finish at 178 for three. India thus sealed the series 2-0.
West Indies won the toss and elected to bowl. India exactly did not have a great start with Riston Chase and Sheldon Cottrell both bowling with discipline.
Having lost Ishan Kishan early and Rohit Sharma soon after, Virat Kohli had to dig deep to shore up his second international 50 at this ground in the shortest format. Just when it looked that Virat (52) was regaining his lost touch, he was cleaned up by Chase to a drifter that Kohli failed to read.
The innings really got the injection of pace when Rishab Pant walked in. He along with Venkatesh Iyer put on 74 for the fifth wicket off just 35 balls to prop up the Indian innings.
Pant was belligerent remaining unbeaten on 52 off just 28 balls studded with seven boundaries and one six.
The rookie Knight Venkatesh Iyer also impressed with his 18 ball 33 with four boundaries and a six.
West Indies also lost two early wickets. But then Rovman Powell and Nicholas Pooran came to the party. The duo put West Indies in a position of strength with Pooran scoring 62 off 41 before holing out off Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Powell remained unbeaten on 68 off 36 balls as they put on a 100 run stand for the third wicket.
With Powell and skipper Kieron Pollard at the crease anything was still possible. But some smart bowling by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel at the death choked the visitors.
(By Pratyusha Mukherjee)
