5 close ODI encounters between Men in Blue and West Indies in India

#3 1st ODI, Cuttack (2011)

Team India pacer Umesh Yadav. Pic: Getty Images

The Men in Blue got the better of the Windies by one wicket in Cuttack in November 2011, in the first ODI of a five-match series. The Indians fielded first after winning the toss and restricted the Caribbean side to 211 for 9. Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron claimed two wickets apiece while Darren Bravo top-scored for the visitors with 60.

While chasing, India lost half their side for 59 as Kemar Roach claimed the big scalps of Virat Kohli (3) and Gautam Gambhir (4). Rohit Sharma (72), batting at No.5, led the fightback in the company of Ravindra Jadeja (38). However, West Indies kept chipping away at the wickets and reduced India to 201 for 9.

Aaron and Umesh, however, struck one four each off Daren Sammy in the 49th over to take the hosts home with seven balls to spare. The latter hit the winning runs by smashing the Windies pacer down the ground for a boundary.

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#2 2nd ODI, Visakhapatnam, (2013)

Former West Indies captain Daren Sammy. Pic: Getty Images

West Indies got the better of India by two wickets and three balls to spare in a high-scoring encounter in Visakhapatnam in November 2013. Batting first after losing the toss, the hosts put up a competitive 288 for 7. Kohli scored 99 before falling to a pull off Ravi Rampaul (4/60) while skipper MS Dhoni contributed an unbeaten 51 in 40 balls.

The Windies aced the chase courtesy of some fine knocks right through the innings. Opener Kieran Powell’s 59 set things up, Darren Bravo contributed a swift 50, Lendl Simmons chipped in with 62 while Daren Sammy blasted an unbeaten 63 in 45 balls, a knock inclusive of four fours and as many sixes.

The Windies were 267 for 6 after 47 overs and Sammy hammered Bhuvneshwar Kumar for two fours and a six to put his team on the doorsteps of victory. Mohammed Shami, however, dismissed Jason Holder and Sunil Narine in the penultimate over to send some flutters into the opposition camp. Sammy, however, guided West Indies home with a single off Mohit Sharma in the last over.

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#1 2nd ODI, Visakhapatnam, (2018)

Former India captain Virat Kohli. Pic: Getty Images

India and West Indies played out a pulsating draw in Visakhapatnam in October 2018. In a high-scoring encounter, the second ODI of the five-match series, the hosts put up 321 for 6 after winning the toss and batting first. In response, the visitors finished on 321 for 7.

Skipper Kohli played a captain’s knock for India, scoring an unbeaten 157 off 129 balls. He featured in a third-wicket stand of 139 with Ambati Rayudu (73). The duo helped India recover from 40 for 2 as both openers fell cheaply. Rayudu struck eight fours in his 80-ball knock before being bowled by Ashley Nurse.

West Indies were equally good in response as Shai Hope slammed an unbeaten 123 in 134 balls while Shimron Hetmyer clobbered his way to 94 in just 64 balls, smacking seven sixes. The duo lifted the Windies from 78 for 3 to 221 before Hetmyer was dismissed by Yuzvendra Chahal.

The equation came down to 14 off the last over to be bowled by Umesh Yadav. The pacer dismissed Nurse for 5 off the fourth ball and it all came down to five off the last delivery. Hope carved a full delivery from outside off to the point boundary to tie the match in sensational fashion.