Lewis’ century scripts WI’s huge win
MERCILESS So dominant was the opener in his 125* that hosts won with nine wickets to spare
KINGSTON(JAMAICA): On Saturday, the eve of the one-off T20 International between India and West Indies, both sides’ batsmen tried power hitting at the main square in preparation for the game.
The contrast was stark. Even as the India batsmen managed to hit quite a few deliveries into the stands, their West Indian counterparts were depositing almost every ball much further than the Indians managed later in the day.
On Sunday, that reflected on the field, as the India batsmen managed to hit just six sixes whereas Windies opener Evin Lewis alone hit double the number – 12 in all, which is also the third highest by an individual in a T20 International.
So dominant was Lewis in his innings of 125 not out that the hosts cruised to victory with nine wickets and nine deliveries to spare.
This was Lewis’s second century in T20Is and both came against India. He hit exactly 100 in Lauderhill, USA, last year as he led West Indies to a onewicket win then.
POOR SELECTION
It wasn’t just the difference in power hitting. India, it seemed, erred in selection too.
They picked specialist bowler Mohammed Shami and ignored Hardik Pandya, probably the allrounder who could have made a difference.
Dinesh Karthik, who topscored with 48 agreed that Pandya should have been played. He isn’t just one of the biggest hitters in the team but also troubled Lewis in the ODI series.
They also left out the in-form Ajinkya Rahane, the man-of-theseries in the ODIs, and picked Rishabh Pant who scored but at a much lesser pace than Virat Kohli would have liked.
India’s middle-order failure hurt here too with former skipper MS Dhoni failing to get going.
West Indies skipper Carlos Brathwaite praised his bowlers, especially those who bowled towards the end. He also felt the X-factor that Lewis brings helped them.
“He hits the ball in unconventional areas. Once he gets in, he goes big. It is difficult to stop him. He doesn’t give his wicket away. He hits the ball cleanly and also hits in some funny areas that takes a while for teams to get accustomed to. By the time you get accustomed to, he is already fifty-odd and heading to 90 or a 100,” said Brathwaite.
It turned out to be true because by the time India got him to play a false stroke, he was close to fifty.
As luck would have it, the shocked Indians gave him a couple of lives.
First, Shami barged into a catch that Kohli already had in sight, and spilled it. Then, Karthik spilled one, blaming the wind and the fact that he got confused with Kohli coming in to attempt it.
Lewis began quietly, scoring just seven off the first 10 balls. However, he launched into Shami and Ashwin.
Soon after he got the lives, he lost opening partner Chris Gayle. But he settled down after that.
THIS WAS LEWIS’ SECOND CENTURY IN T20IS AND BOTH CAME AGAINST INDIA. HE HAD HIT 100 IN LAUDERHILL, USA, LAST YEAR.