From the iSport Cricket Pavilion: A gutsy innings of 86 from 91 balls from Rohit Sharma helped India chase down 225 after being reduced to 92 for 6 in the 23rd over to seal the five match ODI series 3-0 at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua. Earlier Andre Russell's blistering innings of 92 from 64 deliveries helped the home team reach a moderate total after Amit Mishra and Munaf Patel had reduced them to 96 for 7 in the 30th over.
India won the toss, elected to field and got off to a good start removing opener Kirk Edwards in the second over, caught behind off Munaf Patel for duck. Lendl Simmons then took the initiative hitting Patel for boundary through midwicket and six over long on off consecutive deliveries scoring 12 runs from the over. Simmons and Sarwan added 65 runs for the second wicket in 13 overs before a suicidal run found Sarwan short of the crease in the 15th over reducing West Indies to 65 for 2. Mishra then wrecked havoc picking up three wickets from his three overs. Firstly Mishra had Samuels stumped after the latter charged down the wicket but was beaten in flight. Mishra then got his second of the innings in his next over, cleaning up Hyatt with a googly. The third of his innings came in form of Simmons, who was playing a waiting innings, caught in slips making it 77 for 5 in the 22nd over.
The home side were in tatters after Pollard departed in the 25th over, caught behind off Harbhajan Singh for 6. Munaf Patel made it worse after claiming the wicket of Sammy, caught behind making it 96 for 7. The next nine overs yielded just 39 runs before Russell got into the act hitting Pathan for consecutive sixes over midwicket boundary. Russell and Baugh added crucial 78 runs for the eighth wicket before Patel had him caught at cover in the 46th over for 36. Russell then reached his half-century from as many balls and then blasted the Indian bowling, scoring 22 runs from 49th over including two sixes and two fours off Raina and then 15 runs from Praveen Kumar's final over which included a six and four over midwicket off the last two deliveries of the innings finishing on a moderate total of 225 in 50 overs. Russell remained unbeaten on 92 from 64 deliveries which included eight hits to the fence and five over it.
In reply, India got off to a bad start losing Dhawan in the eighth over with just 26 runs on the board. Dhawan was caught at cover off Sammy for 4. Sammy then struck off the very next ball removing Virat Kohli for a duck. Kohli was unlucky as replays suggested that the ball would have missed leg stump. Patel and Badrinath added 34 runs for the third wicket before the latter was run out via a spectacular fielding effort by Russell at mid-off which saw the batsman well short of the crease at the keeper's end. Rohit Sharma quickly got into the act hitting Sammy for a six and four off consecutive deliveries in the 18th over. But Bishoo removed Patel off the first ball of the next over to reduce India to 79 for 4 in the 19th over. Skipper Suresh Raina played a senseless shot, throwing away his wicket at a crucial juncture, while it took a spectacular catch from Simmons to get rid of Pathan in the next over reducing India to 92 for 6 in the 23rd over.
Sharma and Harbhajan Singh then added 88 crucial runs for the seventh wicket taking the total to 180 in the 41st over, with Rohit Sharma reaching a personal milestone of half-century from 57 balls. Harbhajan then threw away his wicket in the 41st over, moving across looking to flick one with the angle over midwicket, but getting a leading edge straight into the hands of Baugh following a four and a six off the same bowler in the same over. Praveen Kumar joined Sharma at the crease and played a cameo of 25 from 15 balls with one hit to the fence and two over it, adding 48 unbeaten runs with Sharma from five overs, racing to a three wicket Victory with 22 balls to spare. Rohit Sharma remained not out on 86 from 91 balls with five hits to the fence and two over it.
Andre Russell was named the man of the match for his fighting innings of 92 from 64 deliveries which included eight hits to the fence and five over it.
Result: India won by 3 wickets (with 22 balls remaining)
Scores: West Indies: 225/8; India: 228/7
Man of the Match: Andre Russell
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