India beat West Indies by 105 runs in 2nd ODI, take 1-0 lead in 5-match series | Cricket - Hindustan Times
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India beat West Indies by 105 runs in 2nd ODI, take 1-0 lead in 5-match series

Hindustan Times, Trinidad | By
Jun 26, 2017 03:17 AM IST

Ajinkya Rahane scored 103 while Virat Kohli scored 87 as India notched 310/5 against West Indies in the second ODI of the five-match series at Port of Spain on Sunday. Rain has reduced the match to 43 overs a side..

India won the second ODI by a record margin of 105 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the 5-match ODI series here at the Queen’s Park Oval on Sunday. The 105-run margin gave the visitors their biggest win in the Caribbean.(IND vs WI LIVE UPDATES)

India's Ajinkya Rahane plays a shot during the second One Day International (ODI) match between West Indies and India at the Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad.(AFP)
India's Ajinkya Rahane plays a shot during the second One Day International (ODI) match between West Indies and India at the Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad.(AFP)

After the first match on Friday was abandoned due to rain, there was play on Sunday as dark clouds, hovering over the sea on one side and the mountain on the other, stayed away from the Queen’s Park Oval thanks to little or no breeze.(IND vs WI LIVE SCORECARD)

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Thanks to yet another century partnership for the opening wicket between Ajinkya Rahane and Shikhar Dhawan and 87 from skipper Virat Kohli, India put on a massive 310 for five after heavy rain early in the morning had ensured the match was reduced to 43 overs a side.

It was always going to be too much for the West Indians who are coming off a loss to Afghanistan and a 1-1 draw in their most recent ODI series against the newest Test team. That they showed no skill and spine would be a worry for their fans who weren’t there in decent enough numbers.

Both Shikhar Dhawan and his new partner Ajinkya Rahane, who replaced Rohit Sharma in the squad, got their second successive 100-run partnership as India got off to a brilliant start, notching 114 for the first wicket in just 18.2 overs. This followed the 132 they put on during Friday’s game that was abandoned due to rain.

The West Indian pacers looked clueless, caught between two extreme lengths. If they leaked runs through overpitched deliveries, they overcompensated it with short deliveries that were dispatched with equal ease.

Rahane begins charge

Rahane began the charge, picking a boundary and a six off Alzarri Joseph’s first two overs. Once Dhawan got a whiff of juicy length, Rahane happily rotated the strike, allowing his senior partner to bat aggressively.

The home seemed clueless as none, save Ashley Nurse, made any impression. These sort of attacks are easy meat for India, especially the top three, who like to take their own sweet time to build a platform.

India's Bhuvneshwar Kumar (L) celebrates with teammate Ajinkya Rahane (C) and captain Virat Kohli. (AFP)
India's Bhuvneshwar Kumar (L) celebrates with teammate Ajinkya Rahane (C) and captain Virat Kohli. (AFP)

Rahane completed his 3rd ODI century in the 34th over though he was dismissed soon after while trying to increase the run rate. Rahane, who shared 96 runs for the second wicket with his skipper Virat Kohli, tried to pull a ball too close to his body but missed the line and was bowled by Miguel Cummins.

Interestingly, Kohli promoted Hardik Pandya up the order ahead of Yuvraj Singh, who is struggling, and former captain MS Dhoni. The move, it seems, was meant to ease pressure off the senior pros.

Pandya had a lucky escape on zero as pacer Joseph seemed to have overstepped on a delivery that got the Indian dismissed.

READ | Ajinkya Rahane scores ton on comeback, boosts India vs West Indies

The reprieve, however, was short-lived as Joseph caught him at third man off Cummins. Pandya tried to hit out but got only an outside edge.

From there on, Kohli and Yuvraj played low-risk cricket, milking plenty of runs (31 in 3 overs). The India skipper’s use of wrists even while lofting one over long-on fence, a glide over keeper’s head and a six straight over bowler’s head being the standout shots. Such was his dominance in the partnership with Dhoni that Kohli scored 26 out of 31 they put on in three overs.

On their turn to bat, only Shai Hope displayed any fight, scoring 81 off 88 balls with five fours and three sixes, playing shots that often showed him as a class act.

That the WI team score was just 112 when he fell for 81 in the 26th over and its eventual score was just 205/6 proves that the 23-year-old Hope will have to shoulder the WI batting all alone.

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