3rd ODI: India score 351/5 against WI; skipper Hardik shines
India racked up 351/5 against the West Indies in the 3rd and final ODI at the Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba, Trinidad. Openers Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill got India off to a terrific start, having shared a century stand. Sanju Samson was impressive in the middle phase with a 51-run knock. Skipper Hardik Pandya then took the Men in Blue past 350.
A salubrious start for India
Ishan and Gill were all over the Caribbean bowlers after WI elected to field. The duo played attacking cricket in the first Powerplay, making the most of the fielding restrictions. India were 73/0 at the end of the 10th over, with both Gill and Ishan crossing the 30-run mark. They batter together for nearly 10 more overs before Ishan departed in the 20th over.
Gill slams his sixth ODI fifty
Gill and Ishan negotiated the West Indian seamers in the first few overs before launching their counter-attack. While the latter accelerated, Gill was watchful and brought up his fifty in the 18th over. Gill continued to capitalize even after losing Ishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad. The Indian opener finally departed for 85 off 92 balls (11 fours).
Fifty in third successive ODIs
Ishan smashed 64-ball 77, a knock laced with 8 fours and 3 sixes. It was his sixth ODI fifty Ishan scored a half-century in each of the three ODIs against West Indies. His scores in the three-ODI series read 77, 55, and 52. Ishan slammed a total of 184 runs in the series at an incredible average of 61.33. His strike rate read 111.52.
India's highest opening partnership in WI (ODIs)
Ishan and Gill added 143 runs together, now the highest opening partnership for India in West Indies. The duo went past Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane, who shared a 132-run opening stand for India in Port of Spain in 2017. A look at India's opening partnerships in ODIs this year: 143, 33, 95, 60, 72, 212, 5, 3, 65, 18, 90, and 143.
Ishan joins this elite club
Ishan has become the sixth Indian batter to record a 50+ score in every match of a bilateral three-ODI series. He joins Shreyas Iyer (62, 52, and 103 against New Zealand, 2020), the last Indian batter to achieve this feat. Krishnamachari Srikkanth (vs SL, 1982), Dilip Vengsarkar (vs SL, 1985), Mohammad Azharuddin (vs SL, 1993), and MS Dhoni (vs Aus, 2019) are the others.
Samson plays a solid knock at number four
Samson came in at number four after India crossed the 150-run mark. He paired up with Gill and took India past 220. Unlike Gill, Samson attacked right from ball one and went after the spinners. The latter hammered 4 sixes and 2 fours in his 41-ball 51. Samson slammed his third half-century in ODI cricket and a second away from home.
Hardik adds the finishing touch
Samson's exploits were followed by a captain's knock from Hardik. India's stand-in captain made a cautious start alongside Suryakumar Yadav. The duo took India past 300. However, SKY departed after scoring a 30-ball 35. Hardik did not let the scoring rate drop and smashed his 10th ODI half-century. He slammed an unbeaten 70(52) with the help of 4 fours and 5 sixes.
