- West Indies won a nervy, topsy-turvy thriller in Providence to go 2-0 up in the T20 series.
- Half-century from Tilak Verma and crucial contributions from captain Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan took Team India to 152 after 20 overs.
- In reply, Nicholas Pooran’s power-packed 67 and Akeal Hossain’s composed cameo under pressure took the West Indies to victory.
West Indies player ratings
Nicholas Pooran (Player of the Match) 10/10: MotM Pooran turned on the style in Providence, tearing apart the Indian bowling line-up through his unique combination of power and Improvisation. Walking in when the WI were 2/2, he counter-attacked from ball one, smashing 4 sixes and 6 fours in his 40 ball 67. When he departed in the 14th over, the game almost felt done and dusted.
Akeal Hossain 10/10: It is such a shame that only one player can be MoTM because Akeal Hossain deserved it as much as Pooran did. With the ball, he got the crucial wickets of a set Tilak Verma and the dangerous Sanju Samson. When he came to bat WI still needed 27 with just Two wickets in hand. He then took the WI home with a calm 16 off 10 deliveries.
Alzari Joseph 9/10: Economical and efficient with the ball, Joseph got rid of the two big guns Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya. His spell of 2 for 28 in 4 overs was key in restricting India to a moderate total. Then with the bat he smashed a six when the pressure was on to ease the nerves.
Kyle Mayers 8/10: He played a small but effective cameo of 15 off 7 balls to get the WI innings kick-started after the fall of early wickets. However, his telling contribution came when he got world no.1 SKY run-out with yet another brilliant piece of pick-up and throw.
Obed McCoy 8/10: Although he didn’t get a wicket, he bowled tight lines and lengths which restricted Indian openers from getting to a flying start. He gave away just 3 runs in his first 2 overs, allowing bowlers to go for the kill from the other end.
Rovman Powell 7/10: While he couldn’t go big himself, he gave able company to the marauding Pooran in the game’s defining 4th wicket partnership. He would be disappointed to throw the start away.
Jason Holder 6/10: Below the match’s overall economy rate, Holder bowled two tight overs in critical stages of the game to shift the momentum towards WI. He failed to get on with the bat, scoring a 3 ball duck.
Romario Shepherd 6/10: Although a touch expensive, the allrounder got to important wickets of Axar Patel and Ishan Kishan when he was starting to look dangerous. With the bat he was slightly unfortunate as he was run out.
Shimron Hetmyer 6/10: Like captain Powell, he couldn’t get going himself either but played a decent second fiddle to Nicholas Pooran in a partnership that set-up the victory for the WI. Should have finished the game after Pooran got out though.
Johnson Charles 3/10: Couldn’t get into the game at all as he got out after scoring 2 off 3 in the first over.
Brandon King 2/10: Got out without troubling the scorers for a duck in the very first ball of the WI innings.
India player ratings:
Hardik Pandya 9/10: Played a handy 24 run cameo off 18 balls to accelerate the Indian innings. He was threatening to go big before getting a gem of a yorker from Alzarri Joseph. With the ball he got India off to a dream start when he got rid of King and Charles in his very first over. He also took the wicket of his counterpart Powell to bring India back to the game.
Tilak Varma 9/10: The young man’s dream start to the International arena continues as he notched up his first T20 half century in his second game. His 51 off 41 was the base around which India’s score was built. Although he will be disappointed that he got out just before he was about to press the pedal.
Yuzvendra Chahal 9/10: Almost turned a dead match around when he trapped Hetmyer and Holder with his wizardry. Was the pick of the bowlers in terms of threat and economy. It was perplexing why he was held back for the last over, a decision which in hindsight may have cost India the game.
Ishan Kishan 6/10: Was struggling to get going initially, but then he found some rhythm and was looking ominous. Him getting out after getting set was perhaps the difference between India potentially getting a good score but ending up with a moderate one.
Arshdeep Singh 6/10: Was a tad expensive but took out the dangerman Kyle Mayers when he was threatening to take the game away from India in the powerplay.
Ravi Bishnoi 5/10: Smashed a six in the last over to get India over the 150 mark, but couldn’t penetrate with the ball. Was more economical than his pace bowling peers but his lack of venom cost India.
Axar Patel 5/10: Played a steady hand but couldn’t inject impetus to the innings like he is supposed to do at that vital no.7 role. Was a quizzical decision by Pandya to not bowl him at all though.
Mukesh Kumar 4/10: Dismissed the difference maker Pooran but not before he was taken to the cleaners, as he was the most expensive bowler for India.
Sanju Samson 3/10: Got out before he could get going, his lack of consistency at the International level remains a concern and is a headache for selectors.
Suryakumar Yadav 3/10: There wasn’t much he could do as he was run out by a fabulous piece of fielding by Kyle Mayers.
Shubman Gill 2/10: Wasted precious deliveries at the top as he failed to get India to the start they have come to expect from him.
India vs West Indies 2nd T20 summary and highlights
Winning the toss and batting first, India failed to fire as the openers were shackled by some disciplined bowling. Gill and SKY both departed within the 4th over, as Kishan broke the shackles. He couldn’t capitalize either, but a half century from Tilak and a crucial contribution from Captain Pandya took India to 152/7.
Chasing 153, WI lost 2 wickets in the first over but Pooran came out all guns blazing and formed two match-defining partnerships with Powell and Hetmyer. After he got out, Chahal caused a collapse as WI lost 3 wickets in one over and were staring at the barrel of defeat. Then all-rounder Akeal steered WI home with a nerveless 16 off 10 and support from Joseph.
