India survive Rovman Powell blitz, beat West Indies by 8 runs in 2nd T20I to clinch series

Team India survived a stunning counterattack from Rovman Powell (68* off 36) to clinch the 2nd T20I against West Indies by 8 runs in Kolkata on Friday.

Chasing 187, West Indies were 59 for 2 in the 9th over. However, Powell and Nicholas Pooran (62 off 41) added 100 for the third wicket in sensational fashion to keep the visitors’ hopes alive.

After Pooran was dismissed in the penultimate over, the match seemed to have swung India’s way as West Indies needed 25 off the last over. Powell clobbered the third and fourth deliveries of the over from Harshal Patel for sixes to bring the equation down to 11 off 2 balls. The pacer, though, held his nerve and conceded only two runs off the last two balls as Team India clinched the T20I series.

Earlier, West Indies openers got off to a cautious start, reaching 34 at the end of five overs. Yuzvendra Chahal struck with the first ball of the next over as Kyle Mayers (9) top-edged the leg-spinner. Pooran came in and struck Harshal for a six and a four respectively.

Ravi Bishnoi got a wicket in his first over to keep Team India ahead in the game. He ended Brandon King’s (22 off 30) slow knock as the batter hit one straight to long-on. Chahal could have dismissed Pooran on 21 but Bishnoi dropped another catch at deep midwicket. The left-hander celebrated by slapping the bowler for a four and a six as West Indies reached 73 for 2 at the halfway stage.

Powell announced his entry with a couple of brutal sixes and maintained the momentum, striking five sixes and four fours in his knock. In the company of Pooran, he kept West Indies’ hopes afloat. Bhuvneshwar Kumar could have had Powell’s scalp on 38 but the bowler dropped a high return catch off a top-edge.

West Indies needed 53 off the last four, but Powell and Pooran struck one six each off Deepak Chahar as 16 came off the 17th over. Pooran’s maximum also brought up his fifty off 34 balls. Powell reached his half-century off only 28 balls in the next over from Harshal.

Eventually, Bhuvneshwar’s experience came to the fore under pressure. He outfoxed Pooran with an off-cutter and Bishnoi took a good catch this time, back-pedalling from extra cover. Powell carried on, but despite his best efforts could not take his team over the line.

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Pant smashes blazing fifty as India post 186 for 5

Rishabh Pant clobbered an unbeaten 52 off 28 balls as Team India posted 186 for 5 after being sent into bat by West Indies. Coming into bat an No. 5, the southpaw smacked seven fours and a six and featured in a fifth-wicket stand of 76 with Venkatesh Iyer (33 off 18). Before Pant and Iyer, Virat Kohli lent solidity to the innings with a fluent 41-ball 52.

After easing his way to 13 off 9, Pant launched into Kieron Pollard, slapping the West Indies captain, who was playing his 100th T20I, for three fours in the 15th over of the innings. At the other end, Iyer picked two boundaries off Sheldon Cottrell before pulling a bouncer from Jason Holder over the ropes.

The penultimate over began with Pant clobbering a full toss from Holder for a one-handed six over midwicket. Iyer was cleaned up by Romario Shepherd in the last over after a wonderful cameo but Pant went on to complete a sizzling 27-ball fifty off the penultimate delivery.

The hosts did not get off to a great start after losing the toss. Ishan Kishan (2 off 10) struggled again and was caught at point off Cottrell. He got a leading edge while attempting to turn a straight ball to the leg-side. Rohit Sharma was dropped on 2 by Brandon King but the fielder made up for it when the Indian captain offered another chance on 19. Rohit miscued a slog off Roston Chase (3/25) and King took an easy catch at extra cover.

Kohli came in and looked in his element from the start. He timed the ball to near-perfection and hit seven fours. He could have been caught on 46 but Jason Holder misjudged a catch at long-on, which allowed the batter to cross fifty as the ball sailed over the ropes. Kohli fell in the same over, outfoxed by Chase and bowled through the gate. Pant and Iyer then went berserk.

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India vs West Indies 2022: Who was the Player of the Match in the 2nd T20I?

Pant played a splendid knock with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 52 at a strike rate of 185. Before him, Kohli set up the innings with a solid fifty. With the ball, Bhuvneshwar (1/29), Chahal (1/31) and Bishnoi (1/30) were economical and claimed one crucial scalp each.

For West Indies, Powell played a blazing knock to give India a scare while Pooran struck another dashing half-century. With the ball, Chase was brilliant with three scalps.

Pant was named Player of the Match for his excellent knock.