PORT-OF-SPAIN: Veteran opener Chris Gayle bludgeoned a quickfire 72 off just 41 balls as West Indies reached 158 for two off 22 overs before rain brought the third and final match of their One-day International series against India at the Queen’s Park Oval to a halt on Wednesday.

Gayle, 39, went into the match having become the West Indies leading scorer in one-dayers in the second game at the weekend.

On Wednesday, he hit five sixes and eight fours as he and fellow opener Evin Lewis (43) put on 115 for the first wicket.

Earlier West Indies captain Jason Holder won the toss and chose to bat first.

India hold an unassailable 1-0 lead following the a 59-run win via the DLS method in the second ODI at the same venue on Sunday, as rain forced the abandonment of the first match in Guyana as a no-result last week.

Virat Kohli’s team has just one change from the game three days ago with an exchange of wrist-spinners as right-armer Yuzvendra Chahal replaces left-armer Kuldeep Yadav, who claimed the vital wickets of Shimron Hetmyer and top scorer Evin Lewis in the second ODI.

West Indies have opted to omit two of their pacemen — Sheldon Cottrell and Oshane Thomas — in preference for all-rounder Keemo Paul and left-arm spinner Fabian Allen.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2019