India 190 for six (Rohit 64, Karthik 41*, Joseph 2-46) beat West Indies 122 for 8 (Brooks 20, Ashwin 2-22, Arshdeep 2-24, Bishnoi 2-26) by 68 runs
In T20s earlier than Friday at this floor, spinners had an economic system price of 6.31, which is the fourth-lowest amongst all of the venues in West Indies. They averaged 20.91 – once more the fourth-lowest at any Caribbean venue the place spinners have bowled in additional than ten innings.
Another accomplice for Rohit
However Akeal Hosein’s introduction had Suryakumar stalling. He was dropped off the primary ball from the spinner earlier than a prime edge on the very subsequent ball noticed it evade the bowler working again. However, Hosein had the final chuckle within the subsequent over after Suryakumar’s tried whip resulted in a thick vanguard to brief third.
Change in tempo results in change of momentum
India had raced to 44 inside 5 overs however Suryakumar’s wicket slowed down the proceedings. Despite discovering a few boundaries early on, Rohit struggled to get the ball away. With the odd ball gripping the floor, Hosein and McCoy used that to their benefit with the latter dismissing Shreyas Iyer for a 4-ball duck.
While Rohit obtained his eye in, Rishabh Pant threw his palms round to get a few fours. Their partnership of 43 off simply 25 balls helped Rohit free himself up. But then India misplaced Pant and Hardik Pandya – who ramped a Joseph brief ball straight to deep third for his maiden T20I wicket – in fast succession to search out themselves at 102 for 4 with over eight overs left.
The perfect finish
In the interim Rohit got to his 27th half-century in T20Is off 35 balls. Just when he started accelerating, he slapped Holder straight to sweeper cover. At 131 for 5 in 15 overs on a track slowing down, India looked on course to finish around the 170-run mark.
But Karthik once again aced in his designated finisher’s role to help India get close to 200. He used the crease well to put the bowlers off their lines and lengths. In the company of Ashwin, he took a toll on the erring Holder and McCoy to help India amass 36 off the last two overs.
Spin to win
In their pursuit of 191, Kyle Mayers got West Indies off to a rapid start, helping them score 11 off Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s first over and as many in the first three balls of Arshdeep Singh’s over. However, Arshdeep managed to deceive Mayers with an off-pace short ball to crash-land the chase.
Holder, despatched in at No. 3 could not see off Ravindra Jadeja’s spin whereas Ashwin managed to see the again of the left-handers in Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer. Ravi Bishnoi then dismissed Rovman Powell and Odean Smith in successive overs to just about seal the sport.
S Sudarshanan is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
