West Indies Captain Shai Hope Guides Resilient Win Against India in Second ODI
The West Indies cricket team secured a resilient victory against India in the second One Day International (ODI) of the three-match series. Led by their captain Shai Hope, the West Indies showcased an impressive performance to level the series at 1-1.
The Indian bowlers struggled to defend a relatively low target of 182 runs as Hope’s unbeaten innings of 63 runs off 80 balls led the West Indies to a comfortable six-wicket win. Supported by Keacy Carty, who contributed an unbeaten 48 runs off 65 balls, Hope guided his team to victory in Barbados on Sunday.
Earlier in the match, Indian bowler Shardul Thakur picked up three wickets, conceding 42 runs. Kuldeep Yadav also claimed one wicket. However, their efforts were not enough to prevent the West Indies from reaching their target.
In the chase, the West Indies openers Brandon King and Kyle Mayers provided a solid start, adding 50 runs to the scoreboard in 8.1 overs. Thakur delivered a crucial ninth over, taking two wickets and bringing India back into the game. He dismissed Mayers for 36 runs and King for 15 runs. Thakur later claimed another wicket, dismissing Alick Athanaze for 6 runs.
Kuldeep Yadav, who was named the Player of the Match in the previous game, contributed with a wicket as he dismissed Shimron Hetmyer for 9 runs with a googly.
The West Indies reached the 100-run mark in 22 overs, with Hope leading the innings alongside Carty. Hope reached his fifty in 70 balls during the 33rd over. Despite India utilizing seven bowling options, they were unable to break Hope and Carty’s partnership. Carty’s back-to-back sixes eventually propelled the West Indies to chase down the 182-run target in just 36.4 overs.
In India’s innings, Ishan Kishan was the only half-centurion, guiding the visitors to a total of 181 runs in 40.5 overs. Gudakesh Motie and Romario Shepherd stood out for the West Indies, both claiming three wickets each.
Indian openers Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan provided a strong start, reaching the 50-run mark in just 10.3 overs. Kishan played aggressively and reached a half-century in just 51 balls. However, their 90-run partnership was broken when Gill was caught by Alzarri Joseph off Gudakesh Motie’s bowling for 34 runs. Kishan followed in the next over, being dismissed by Romario Shepherd for 55 runs.
India faced further setbacks with the dismissals of Axar Patel for 1 run and captain Hardik Pandya for 7 runs. Sanju Samson came to the crease but was soon dismissed for 9 runs. Rain interrupted the play, forcing the players to leave the field temporarily.
After the rain break, Suryakumar Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja attempted to stabilize India’s innings but were unable to form a substantial partnership. Jadeja was caught by Yannic Cariah off Shepherd’s bowling, while Suryakumar was dismissed for 24 runs. Shardul Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav contributed some runs, but India’s total was limited to 181 runs as they were all out in 40.5 overs.
Leading the West Indies’ bowling attack, Motie and Shepherd impressed with their three-wicket hauls.
With this victory, the West Indies managed to level the series at 1-1, setting up an exciting finale for the third and final ODI. Their remarkable performance showcases their resilience and determination to compete against India, a strong cricketing nation. Both teams will look to give their best in the decider and claim victory in the series.
