Sharma ton helps India crush WI in fourth ODI
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MUMBAI: Virat Kohli endured a rare failure but Rohit Sharma more than compensated with a blistering 162 to help India steamroll West Indies by 224 runs in the fourth One-day International on Monday and go 2-1 up in the five-match series.
West Indies had a mountain to climb after Sharma’s 211-run partnership with fellow centurion Ambati Rayudu powered India to a commanding 377 for five.
A strong start was paramount but a couple of run-outs derailed the chase and the touring side were shot out for 153 in 36.2 overs with young paceman Khaleel Ahmed and unorthodox spinner Kuldeep Yadav claiming three wickets apiece.
Beaten comprehensively in the first match, West Indies had roared back into the series by forcing a tie in Pune and then beating the hosts but they could not replicate that form at the historic Brabourne Stadium which was hosting international cricket after a nine-year gap.
Shikhar Dhawan and Sharma gave India a breezy start, adding 71 runs before the left-handed Dhawan pulled Keemo Paul to Kieran Powell at midwicket to depart for 38.
Having scored 140, 157 not out and 107 in the last three matches, Kohli walked in seeking a record-equalling fourth successive century but Kemar Roach dismissed him for 16.
Sharma made sure the India captain was not missed.
The elegant right-hander took 98 balls to bring up his 21st ODI century before accelerating with a flurry of boundaries.
The Mumbai player, whose 264 against Sri Lanka in 2014 remains the highest individual score in this format, was looking good for his fourth ODI double century when he tried to slash an Ashley Nurse spinning delivery and top-edged it to third man. Sharma’s seventh 150-plus score included 20 fours and four sixes.
Rayudu needed 80 balls to bring up his third ODI century before being run out on exactly 100 on the very next delivery after striking eight fours and four sixes.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar dismissed opener Chandrapaul Hemraj cheaply but it was casual running-between-wickets which cost West Indies the wickets of Kieran Powell (4) and Shai Hope (0) as they slumped to 47-5 inside 12 overs.
Windies skipper Jason Holder top-scored with an unbeaten 54, while hitting two sixes and a four during his 70-ball contribution.
The teams move to Thiruvananthapuram for the fifth and final One-day International on Thursday before playing a three-match Twenty20 International series with Kolkata’s Eden Gardens staging the first game on Sunday.
Scoreboard
INDIA:
R.G. Sharma c Hemraj b Nurse 162
S. Dhawan c K. Powell b Paul 38
V. Kohli c Hope b Roach 16
A.T. Rayudu run out 100
M.S. Dhoni c Hemraj b Roach 23
K.M. Jadhav not out 16
R.A. Jadeja not out 7
EXTRAS (B-6, LB-1, W-7, NB-1) 15
TOTAL (for five wkts, 50 overs) 377
FALL OF WKTS: 1-71, 2-101, 3-312, 4-344, 5-355.
DID NOT BAT: B. Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed, J.J. Bumrah.
BOWLING: Roach 10-0-74-2; Holder 9-0-62-0 (3w); Nurse 8-0-57-1 (2w); Paul 10-0-88-1 (2w); R. Powell 4-0-23-0; Allen 8-0-52-0; Samuels 1-0-14-0 .
WEST INDIES:
C. Hemraj c Rayudu b Kumar 14
K.O.A. Powell run out 4
S.D. Hope run out 0
M.N. Samuels c Sharma b Khaleel 18
S.O. Hetmyer lbw b Khaleel 13
R. Powell b Khaleel 1
J.O. Holder not out 54
F.A. Allen c Sharma b Kuldeep 10
A.R. Nurse c Sharma b Kuldeep 8
K.M.A. Paul st Dhoni b Jadeja 19
K.A.J. Roach b Kuldeep 6
EXTRAS (LB-4, W-2) 6
TOTAL (all out, 36.2 overs) 153
FALL OF WKTS: 1-20, 2-20, 3-20, 4-45, 5-47, 6-56, 7-77, 8-101, 9-132.
BOWLING: Kumar 5-1-30-1 (2w); Bumrah 8-1-25-0; Khaleel Ahmed 5-0-13-3; Jadeja 10-1-39-1; Kuldeep Yadav 8.2-0-42-3.
RESULT: India won by 224 runs to lead five-match series 2-1.
UMPIRES: A.K. Chaudhary (India) and I.J. Gould (England).
TV UMPIRE: P. Wilson (Australia).
MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Rohit Sharma.
FIFTH MATCH: Thiruvananthapuram (D/N), Thursday.
Published in Dawn, October 30th , 2018
