Windies make history in India

CHENNAI, India (CMC):

Left-hander Shimron Hetmyer uncorked a ­magical hundred while Shai Hope notched a second straight One-Day International (ODI) ­century as the Windies completed a record run chase to stun India by eight wickets and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series here yesterday.

In pursuit of a challenging 288 for victory, the Windies executed brilliantly to pull off the highest-ever successful run chase at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, overhauling their target in a canter with 13 balls to spare.

Man of the Match Hetmyer slammed 139 off 106 balls, striking 11 fours and seven sixes in an astonishing exhibition of power-hitting as he marched to his fifth ODI hundred in his 40th match.

In contrast, Hope patiently carved out an unbeaten 102 off 151 deliveries, counting just seven fours and a single six but providing the ideal counter to Hetmyer’s calculated onslaught en route to his seventh century in the format and second in as many matches following his unbeaten 109 against Afghanistan a month ago.

Together, they posted a ­precious 218 for the second wicket to compensate for the early loss of Sunil Ambris for nine. When the partnership was finally broken, it was just three runs shy of the all-time Windies record for the second wicket against India set by legends Sir Vivian Richards and Gordon Greenidge 33 years ago in Jamshedpur.

Left-hander Nicholas Pooran arrived late on to put the finishing touches on the victory with an important 29 not out off 23 deliveries, helping the visitors take a giant step towards their first series win on Indian soil in nearly two decades.

Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant had earlier top-scored with 71 off 69 balls, while Shreyas Iyer got 70 off 88 deliveries as India reached 287 for eight off their 50 overs after they were sent in.

Kedar Jadhav, with 40 off 35 balls, and opener Rohit Sharma, with 36 off 56, chipped in at either end of the innings, but India could only muster 71 runs from the last 10 overs in a somewhat ­anticlimactic finish.

Seamers Keemo Paul (2-41), Alzarri Joseph (2-45), and Sheldon Cottrell (2-46) all finished with two wickets each to lead an admirable bowling effort.

SCOREBOARD

INDIA

Rohit Sharma c Pollard b Joseph 36

KL Rahul c Hetmyer b Cottrell 6

*V Kohli b Cottrell 4

S Iyer c Pollard b Joseph 70

+R Pant c Hetmyer b Pollard 71

K Jadhav c Pollard b Paul 40

R Jadeja run out 21

S Dube c Holder b Paul 9

D Chahar not out 6

Mohammed Shami not out 0

Extras (b5, lb5, w11, nb3) 24

TOTAL (8 wkts, 50 overs) 287

Did not bat: Kuldeep Yadav.

Fall of wickets: 1-21 (Rahul), 2-25 (Kohli), 3-80 (Rohit), 4-194 (Iyer), 5-210 (Pant), 6-269 (Jadhav), 7-269 (Jadeja), 8-282 (Dube)

Bowling: Cottrell 10-3-46-2 (w4), Holder 8-0-45-0 (w1, nb1), Walsh Jr 5-0-31-0, Paul 7-0-40-2 (w3, nb2), Joseph 9-1-45-2 (w3), Chase 7-0-42-0, Pollard 4-0-28-1.

WINDIES

+S Hope not out 102

S Ambris lbw b Chahar 9

S Hetmyer c Iyer b Mohammed Shami 139

N Pooran not out 29

Extras (lb4, w7, nb1) 12

TOTAL (2 wkts, 47.5 overs) 291

Did not bat: R Chase, *K Pollard, J Holder, K Paul, H Walsh, A Joseph, S Cottrell.

Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Ambris), 2-229 (Hetmyer).

Bowling: Chahar 10-1-48-1, Mohammed Shami 9-1-57-1, Kuldeep Yadav 10-0-45-0 (w3), Dube 7.5-0-68-0, Jadhav 1-0-11-0, Jadeja 10-0-58-0 (nb1).

Result: Windies won by eight wickets.

Series: Windies lead three-match series 1-0.

Man-of-the-Match: Shimron Hetmyer.

Toss: Widies.

Umpires: Nitin Menon, Shaun George; TV – Rod Tucker.