West Indies scored 164 for five with a half-century from opener Kyle Myers (73 runs in 50 balls, eight fours, four sixes), in response to which India scored a half-century from Suryakumar (76 runs in 44 balls, eight fours, four sixes) and His second wicket partnership of 85 runs with Shreyas Iyer (24) scored 165 for three with six balls to spare. Rishabh Pant remained unbeaten on 33 off 26 balls.
India won the match by achieving the biggest target on this ground.
Earlier, Myers added 57 for the first wicket with Brandon King (20) and 50 runs for the second wicket with captain Nicholas Pooran (23). Rovman Powell (23) and Shimron Hetmyer (20) also played useful innings for West Indies.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was India’s most successful bowler, taking two wickets for 35 runs. Hardik Pandya, while bowling economical, took one wicket for just 19 runs in four overs. Avesh Khan once again proved to be extremely expensive. He conceded 47 runs in three overs while he did not get any success.
The final two matches of the series will be played in Florida, USA on Saturday and Sunday.
Chasing the target, India suffered a setback in the beginning when captain Rohit Sharma returned to the pavilion after scoring 11 runs in five balls, retired hurt due to a strain in the back muscles.
Suryakumar looked in good rhythm. He hit three fours on Obed McCoy while Ajlari Joseph’s delivery was carried into the audience. The right-handed batsman also welcomed Dominic Drakes with two consecutive fours.
He along with Iyer took the team’s score to 56 runs in the power play.
Suryakumar hit a four and a six off Jason Holder in successive deliveries and then completed his half-century in just 26 balls with a six off Akeel Hossain.
Iyer took India’s score past 100 runs in the 11th over with a four on Drakes but went to the stumps trying to play Akeel Hossain’s delivery.
As soon as Pant came, McCoy hit a four and a six on Hossain.
Suryakumar, however, was caught by Joseph at fine leg off Drakes.
India needed 29 runs to win in the last five overs. After scoring six runs, Pandya returned to the pavilion by catching the wicketkeeper off Holder’s ball but Pant along with Deepak Hooda (10 not out) gave India victory.
Rohit Sharma won the toss and decided to bowl first. The West Indies batsmen once again put the charge on fire as Myers hit fours and sixes in successive deliveries in their first and third overs of the innings.
Taking an aggressive approach, Myers also hit two fours on Bhuvneshwar and then welcomed Pandya with a six.
Myers, along with Brandon King, took the team’s score to 46 runs in the power play.
Myrn also hit Ravichandra Ashwin for two fours but Pandya got the 50th T20I wicket by bowling King (20), who scored a half-century in the second match.
The run-rate in the middle overs between Ashwin and Pandya, but could not stop Myers. Myers completed his half-century in 38 balls with a six on Ashwin.
Myers hit two consecutive fours on Avesh in the 14th over while captain Nicholas Pooran also saw the ball from the boundary.
Pooran (22) completed the team’s century in the next over with a six on Bhuvneshwar but was caught by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant in the same over.
Myers hit Bhuvneshwar for his fourth six of the innings but the next ball was waved in the air and caught by Pant.
Shimron Hetmyer (20) hit 19 runs in the 19th over with two consecutive sixes on Avesh while Rovman Powell (23) hit Arshdeep for two consecutive fours in the final over. Arshdeep got Powell caught by Hooda while Hetmyer was run out.
Source: navbharattimes.indiatimes.com
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