Not even a visit by the Dalai Lama could have lifted the gloom that surrounded the West Indies team yesterday in Dharamshala, India, as a pained side, produced a gutless display, to hand India a 59-run victory in the fourth match of the Micromax limited overs series.Prior to the start of the match, the West Indies announced that they were aborting their India tour because of the impasse concerning their payment structure under their new MOU with the West Indies Board (WICB).
While the usually jolly Caribbean men were moping around the field, Virat Kohli slammed a brilliant 127 and Suresh Raina made 71, as India scored 330 for six batting first. The West Indies never looked as they were interested in cricket, until Marlon Samuels (111) and Andre Russell (46) got together. Prior to that Dwayne Smith collected an 11-ball 'duck', Keiron Pollard made six off 31 balls and Dwayne Bravo a two-ball 'duck'. In between all the carnage, opener Darren Bravo scored 40 off 50 balls.
When Russell joined Samuels the score was 165 for six and they made Indian hearts flutter a but with a partnership of 57 runs off 34 balls. Russell batted in his normal explosive way and crashed 46 off 23 balls with six fours and three sixes. Samuels at the other end was lashing sixes as well and runs were flowing.Samuels duly went on to complete a century and was last man out for 111 off 105 balls with nine fours and six sixes. Samuels finished the series with two centuries and a 36 that he made in the second match.
Earlier, Bravo won the toss and decided to insert India with the knowledge that the early moisture on a good pitch could have been exploited. He also had in the back of his mind, the dew factor, as it is very heavy in the cold mountains at evening time.His fast men got carried away with the quick pitch and bowled too many short balls, which were walloped by the Indian opening pair of Shikar Dhawan and Ajinka Rahane. The two brought up the fifty off just seven fours and the fans here starved for cricket were jumping and waving their Indian flags. In one over Jerome Taylor was slammed for four fours and this really got the going. Just as India was motoring towards a century opening stand, Dhawan picked out Darren Bravo at deep square leg and left. His 35 came off 35 balls and included six fours and a six. Rahane was joined by Virat Kohli and every ball the latter played was met with great cheer by the fans. Rahane brought up his half century off 61 balls with six fours and soon India's hundred also came up in the 18th over.
The West Indies bowlers continued to bowl short and was not learning from the battering, until left arm spinner Sulieman Benn trapped Rahane leg before for 68 with the score at 142. His final figures read 68 runs off 79 balls with seven fours. Suresh Raina stepped in and almost immediately found his range, he sent one of his early balls into the stands and the height it made, the inhabitants of the Indara Mountain closeby were threatened.The back in form Kohli was a delight to watch, as he found his timing which he left at home during the recent tour of England. He stroked his way to his second successive half century off 65 balls with six hits to the fence.While Kohli and Raina were together, the West Indies bowlers looked hapless and they were able to add 138 runs in 18 overs. Raina continued his splendid form and struck the ball powerfully. He fashioned a brilliant 71 off 58 balls with three fours and five sixes.Kohli continued to enjoy the spineless attack and reached his 20th century off 101 balls with 12 fours and a six.
SCOREBOARD
WI vs India
India inns
A Rahane lbw Benn 68
S Dhawan c DM Bravo b Russell 35
V Kohli run out 127
S Raina c Ramdin b Taylor 71
M Dhoni run out 6
R Jadeja c Russell b Holder 2
A Rayudu not out 12
Extras lb6, w3 9
Total 6 wkts (50ovs) 330
Fall of wkts: 70, 142, 280, 290, 300, 330.
Bowling: J Taylor 7-0-77-1, J Holder 9-0-52-1, A Russell 7-0-48-1 (1w), S Benn 8-0-30-1, Samuels 10-0-54-0, D Bravo 6-0-51-0 (2w), K Pollard 1-0-12-0.
WI inns
D Smith c Shami b Yadav 0
DM Bravo b Patel 40
K Pollard c Dhawan b Kumar 6
M Samuels b Shami 111
D Ramdin c Patel b Jadeja 9
D Bravo lbw Jadeja 0
D Sammy c & b Patel 16
A Russell b Yadav 46
J Holder c Raina b Kumar 11
J Taylor b Shami 11
S Benn not out 1
Extras lb10, w9 19
Total all out: (48.1ovs) 271
Fall of wkts: 1, 27, 83, 120, 121, 165, 222, 239, 260, 271.
Bowling: B Kumar 10-2-25-2 (3w), U Yadav 9-0-44-2 (1w), M Shami 9.1-0-72-2 (3w), A Patel 10-1-26-2 (1w), V Kohli 1-0-14-0, A Jadeja 9-1-80-2 (1w),
Result: India won by 59 runs, to take series 2-1.