India maul hapless WI, take 2-1 lead
MUMBAI: Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu hit centuries Monday in India’s 224-run victory over the West Indies in the fourth one-day international for a 2-1 lead in the ive-match series.
Sharma hit 162 with 20 fours and four sixes as opening batsman, and Rayudu scored 100 off 81 balls as both made full use of batting conditions and propelled India to 377-5.
The West Indies top order stuttered for the first time in the series and was bowled out for 153 in 36.2 overs with captain Jason Holder remaining unbeaten on 54. Fast bowler Khaleel Ahmed (3-13) ran through the middle-order while Kuldeep Yadav spun out the tail with 3-42.
It was India’s third biggest victory in an ODI in terms of runs behind its 257-run win over Bermuda in the 2007 World Cup and 256-run victory against Hong Kong during the Asia Cup in 2008.
Sharma and Ryudu raised a 211run third wicket stand in 27.1 after captain Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bat.
Kohli couldn’t get his fourth consecutive century in the series and was caught behind for 16, but Sharma and Rayudu punished the West Indies fast bowlers and spinners.
Two needless run-outs derailed the run-chase early on when Kieran Powell and Shai Hope both threw away their wickets while Chandrapaul Hemraj was smartly caught by Rayudu as the visitors slipped to 20-3 in the sixth over.
Ahmed then dented the West Indies further with three wickets in his first three overs. The tall fast bowler had Shimron Hetmyer leg before wicket, clean bowled Rovman Powell and then the team limped to 6-56 by having Marlon Samuels’ key wicket.
Earlier, the India top order capitalized on a perfect batting wicket even though Kohli couldn’t equal Kumar Sangakkara’s international record of four straight centuries.
Both Sharma and Rayudu hit boundaries at will with fast bowler Keemo Paul conceding 88 runs off his 10 overs for the wicket of Shikhar Dhawan.
Kemar Roach had Kohli caught behind and then returned to get the wicket of M.S Dhoni, but also conceded 74 runs for two wickets.
Sharma, who looked set for a double century, was finally dismissed when he top edged Ashley Nurse to short third man and Rayudu was run out in the 48th over after smashing eight fours and four sixes.