Xmas gift from Santa Kohli
Cuttack, December 22
Skipper Virat Kohli’s masterly 85 set up India’s successful chase as the hosts pipped West Indies by four wickets in the third and final ODI to complete a 2-1 series win. Chasing 316 for victory, India got off to a strong start but lost Kohli at a crucial juncture before eventually prevailing with eight deliveries to spare.
Having done it so many times, you obviously have a bit more calmness and you understand how the dew is playing and all you need is a short partnership. From there the opposition usually crumbles. It was outstanding to see others finishing the game. Honestly, when I got out I was nervous but I looked back at Jadeja and he looked confident.
Virat Kohli
Earlier, West Indies posted an imposing 315/5 with skipper Kieron Pollard and Nicholas Pooran capitalising on a strong start, hitting 10 sixes between them.
The Indian quicks used the short ball to good effect to restrain openers Evin Lewis and Shai Hope after Kohli won the toss and elected to field.
Lewis fell for 21, trying to break free and holing out in the process to Navdeep Saini who made an impressive debut replacing the injured Deepak Chahar.
The right-arm quick dismissed Shimron Hetmyer (37) for his maiden ODI wicket and also sent back Roston Chase (38) to reduce West Indies to 144/4 in the 32nd over. Pooran and Pollard then launched a spectacular onslaught, effortlessly clearing the boundary as the tourists plundered 118 off the last 10 overs to breach the 300-mark.
A strong start was imperative to pull off such a big chase and India got the same from KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma who raised 122 runs for the opening stand.
Rohit Sharma made a run-a-ball 63 and Rahul scored 77 but it was Kohli who took India close to victory once the openers departed. — Reuters
2442 Runs for Rohit Sharma in international cricket this year, the most by an opener in a calendar year across the three formats. Sanath Jayasuriya scored 2387 runs in 1997. Rohit finishes the year as the highest run-getter in ODIs and second-highest across the three formats, behind Kohli (2455)
10 Successive bilateral ODI series wins for India vs WI — 6 in India and 4 in WI. The last time WI won a series vs India was in 2006
316 The target chased by India in the series-decider is their second-highest in a series-decider. In 2002, India chased 326 in the Natwest Trophy final against England at Lord’s
141.85 Virat Kohli’s average in successful chases of 300-plus targets. India have had 10 such chases in the last decade. Kohli has scored 993 runs, with 7 tons and one fifty, in them
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