Shikhar Dhawan-led India took an unassailable 2-0 lead 0 in the three-match ODI series with a two-wicket victory in the second ODI at Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain on Sunday (July 24).
Bowling all-rounder Axar Patel received the Player of the Match award for his unbeaten 64 off 35 balls, which helped India edge past the hosts in the barnburner.
West Indies hit a mammoth 311/6 after choosing to bat first on a decent batting track. Shai Hope (115) anchored the innings, while others tried to play freely around him. Nicholas Pooran (74) played responsibly and provided the required momentum for his side in the middle overs of the innings.
In reply, the visitors got off to a poor start, losing their skipper in the 11th over. Dhawan (13 runs off 31 balls) struggled with his timing from the onset before being put out of his misery by Romario Shepherd. Shubman Gill (43 runs off 49 balls) batted elegantly at the other end, scoring runs at a fair clip to keep the required rate in check.
Gill once again could not convert his start into a substantial knock and departed in the 16th over after failing in his attempt at playing a cheeky scoop shot. Suryakumar Yadav (9) failed for the second match on the trot as Kyle Mayers cleaned him up soon after, giving West Indies the upper hand in the contest.
Shreyas Iyer (63) and Sanju Samson (54) then stitched together a crucial 99-run partnership for the fourth wicket to keep India alive in the chase. However, West Indies kept picking up wickets to keep the pressure on the Men in Blue.
Axar Patel then played a sensational counter-attacking knock when the required run rate was high. He maintained his composure to see the visitors over the line by batting smartly with the lower-order. Patel finished the match in style with a huge six in the last over with two balls to spare.
Fans react to Team India's close win against West Indies
Cricket fans on social media enjoyed the high-scoring thriller between Team India and West Indies in Trinidad. They expressed their reactions through some engaging memes on social media.
Here is a collection of the best memes related to the second ODI:
The Men in Blue will take on the Windies in the last ODI of the series on July 27 at the same venue.
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