Windies vs India: 5th ODI - 5 Game Changing Moments

After the upset at Antigua, it was time for vengeance by the visitors, as India eyed a series victory while the home side hoped that they would be able to lock the series at 2-2. Jason Holder won the toss and elected to bat first on a pitch which looked suitable for strokeplay. However, due to some tight bowling from the men in blue and the home side giving away some key wickets, West Indies only managed a paltry score of 205 by losing 9 wickets in their 50 overs.

Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli and Dinesh Karthik made a mockery of the required target as the number three ranked side won the match by 8 wickets and as many as 13 overs remaining. Kohli overtook Sachin Tendulkar by notching up yet another ton in a run chase. He was adjudged as the man of the match while Ajinkya Rahane was the man of the series. Let us look at the five game-changing moments in the game.

1. Kyle Hope’s dismissal

After Evin Lewis was dismissed cheaply, the onus was then on the Hope brothers to take West Indies out of trouble. Kyle and Shai stitched a vital partnership to ensure that there were no further hiccups in the Windies innings with the new ball. Until the 16th over of their innings, one had a feeling that the West Indians withered the storm and were on course for a decent target.

Unfortunately, Kyle, who was looking to dominate with his 46 runs in no time, was dismissed as he spooned a simple catch to Shikhar Dhawan and the disappointment on the young man’s face was pretty much evident. A big knock from Kyle was there for the taking and yet again, another batsman from their side gave his wicket away. The wicket changed the momentum of the game.

2. West Indies giving catching practice to India

Out of the nine dismissals in the West Indies innings, eight of them were caught by fielders. In order to increase their run rate, Shai Hope, who just got to his half century, gave a skier to Ajinkya Rahane at deep square leg. The catch of Jason Holder too was crucial as he was threatening to put his foot down on the accelerator for his quickfire knock of 36.

Jason Mohammad was yet another victim of the golden arm of Kedar Jadhav as he spooned a catch brilliantly taken by the part-timer. Evin Lewis, the two Hope, Rovman Powell, Ashley Nurse, Devendra Bishoo, all gave their wickets to catches and literally gave it away off to even ordinary balls sometimes.

3. Tight bowling on a batsman paradise

The pitch at Trinidad and Antigua was comprehended as slow tracks by the pundits. Antigua had a damp surface coupled with a slow outfield, which made run making even more difficult. However, the story was different at Jamaica as by the looks of it, run-making was relatively easier with the ball coming nicely on to the bat.

That said, India still restricted the home team by constantly picking up wickets at regular intervals and due to some fine bowling efforts, West Indies could only manage a target of 205 in front of the mighty Indian batting lineup which failed in their last outing and had a thing or two to prove. Mohammad Shami was the pick of the bowlers as he picked up four wickets. But it was the bowling as a unit which made the difference in the end.

4. Rahane-Virat partnership

Chasing a below par target set by the home side, it was India’s turn to seal the victory. Shikhar Dhawan did not trouble the scorers much for his stay was only limited to three balls. Much like the two Hopes trying to stabilise their innings, for India it was Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli who were responsible for taking their team through without any further hiccups.

Rahane, who was adjudged as the man of the series later in the day, gave able support to his skipper who looked focused enough to restrain from flashy drives and looked set for a big one. They added 79 important runs up front before Rahane was dismissed for 39.

5. Clinical Finish from Kohli and Karthik

Dinesh Karthik’s unbeaten knock of 50 off just 52 balls, essentially changed the tempo of the innings as Virat Kohli, from the other end, looked to display his superiority over the team. Kohli, after showing a lot of determination at the start of the innings, played his natural game after crossing the thirties. He brought up his 28th ton in his ODI career in the process.

Kohli added another small feather in his cap, as he scored broke Sachin Tendulkar’s tall of 17 centuries in a run chase in almost half of the innings the master played. Karthik too justified his place in the side as the duo finished the game in style. India won the match by a handsome margin of eight wickets and clinched the series by 3-1.