India WI ODI series: Windies collapse after good start as India wins to level series

 New Delhi: India relied on their bowlers tostage a remarkable recovery scripting a comfortable 48-run win in the second cricket One-day international against the West Indies to level the five-match series 1-1, here today.

Chasing a 264-run target, West Indies were cruising at one stage as they were 170 for two in the 36th over before their innings fell apart on a sluggish Ferozshah Kotla track.

The West Indies looked like taking it away from the hosts as the two openers, Smith and Darren Bravo settled nicely after getting a measure of the pitch and the bowlers. They easily took the team to a comfortable 64 in 13 overs without loss.

Shami brought relief for India when the first ball of the 14th over slightly brushed the stump, took the bail off, and Bravo was forced to start his walk back to pavilion. The left-hander took 44 balls for his 26 but his stand with Smith gave West Indies an ideal start.

The Windies openers did not exactly set the stage on fire but hardly gave anything to India. The match was on ever keel as Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav and spinners toiled hard initially. They did not leak many runs but did not get wickets either.

Getting quick runs was tough on the Kotla pitch but Kieron Pollard did not hesitate to swing his arms. The burly batsman clobbered a six off Yadav and also hit Bhuvneshwar for a four, causing anxiety in the rival camp.

Meanwhile, Smith completed his 50 with a single off Amit Mishra and also lofted the leg-spinner for a six over mid-wicket to raise his sides 100 in the 23rd over.  Pollard also creamed a six off Mishra, who was by and large bowling well.

The leg-spinner copped another six from Pollard but had his revenge when he bowled Pollard, who dragged one on to his stumps. However Pollard by then had added 72 runs for the second wicket with Smith, setting the stage for an easy win.

He scored 40 runs from 50 balls with three sixes and a four.

Last match's centurion Marlon Samules joined Smith, who was holding one end tight. Smith punished Kohli's slow medium pace with three boundaries in four balls and later hammered Mohammed Shami for a huge long-on six. However, he missed his first ODI century when Shami’s ball went on to hit his disturbed the stumps after hitting his pads. Perhaps he quicky wanted to go pass the milestone mark and missed the ball that came in from off stump. His 97 had 11 fours and two sixes

From a comfortable 170 for two, the Caribbean side lost their last eight wickets for just 45 runs to be all out for 215 in 46.3 overs.

Mohammed Shami (4/36) recorded his career-best figures while all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (3/44) and leg-spinner Amit Mishra (2/40) snared five wickets between them as the inept technique of the Caribbeans against spinning deliveries was exposed thoroughly.

Electing to bat, India had posted a competitive 263 for seven as Suresh Raina hit a sparkling 62 while Virat Kohli (62) returned to form with his first half-century in eight months. Raina carried his splendid T20 form into the match and Kohli regained his lost touch partly at his home ground as the two batsmen added 105 runs for the fourth wicket after a sedate start by India.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni contributed in India’s total with his unbeaten 51 off 40 balls while Ambati Rayudu scored 32, batting at number three, a place where Kohli usually bats. In his trademark style, Dhoni hit a six and a four off pace man Jerome Taylor to complete his 56th half-century in the last over of the innings.

West Indies opener Smith missed out on his maiden ODI century by just three runs and his dismissal in the 36th over changed the complexion of the match. The two teams will now travel to Visakhapatnam for the third ODI on Tuesday. 

SCORECARD

India: A. Rahane c Bravo b Sammy 12, S. Dhawan b Taylor 1, A. Rayudu c Sammy b Benn 32, V. Kohli c Samuels b Rampaul 62, S. Raina c Pollard b Taylor 62, M.S. Dhoni (not out) 51, R. Jadeja b Taylor 6, B. Kumar c Pollard b Bravo 18, M. Shami (not out) 1. Extras (b4, lb1, w13) 18. Total (for seven wickets in 50 overs) 263.