The Indian batters fluffed their traces when it mattered most as a decided West Indies handed captain Hardik Pandya his first bilateral collection defeat comfortably profitable the fifth and last T20 International by eight wickets right here on Sunday.
West Indies received the five-match collection 3-2 with opener Brandon King’s swashbuckling 85 not out off 55 balls paving the best way for a 18-over cakewalk.
Within 24 hours of manufacturing a batting master-class on a featherbed, the Indian batters, save Suryakumar Yadav’s scratchy but efficient 61 off 45 balls, posted a sub-par rating of 165 for 9 after opting to bat on a used observe that had turn into slower.
On a pitch the place stroke-making wasn’t a straightforward proposition, Surya needed to curb his aptitude a bit however nonetheless had sufficient firepower in his arsenal to hit 4 fours and three sixes throughout his knock.
In reply, India’s nemesis Nicholas Pooran (47 not out off 35 balls) regarded far more fluent however was overshadowed by opener King as they added 107 runs for the second wicket to place West Indies heading in the right direction regardless of three climate associated interruptions.
On identical observe the place the Caribbean bowlers put the Indian batters beneath tight leash, the bowling assault regarded horribly out of depth barring Kuldeep Yadav (0/18), who delivered yet one more regular efficiency.
Pooran and King cleverly determined to play out Kuldeep’s spell and attacked others with disdain. Yuzvendra Chahal (0/51 in 4 overs) had a forgettable day in workplace.
Once the West Indies acquired 60 within the powerplay, there was no wanting again as they maintained the tempo with a lot of the Indian bowlers pitching it brief giving Pooran ample time to tonk them within the arc between the long-on and cow nook.
Between Pooran and King, they hit 10 sixes with half a dozen being smashed by the opener.
However it was the batting that grew to become India’s undoing as they by no means acquired the specified momentum in the course of the center in addition to finish overs.
Even Surya was a bit subdued by his personal lofty requirements as a result of the slowness didn’t permit him to play his pure recreation.
It was a used observe the place the ball began gripping from the very first over bowled by left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein (2/24 in 4 overs), who made an impression towards the Indian batters all through the collection.
Between him and off-spinner Roston Chase (1/25 in 4 overs), they bowled eight overs for simply 49 runs taking three wickets within the course of.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (5) began with a reverse sweep however Hosein’s supply that stopped and turned with a tad further bounce compelled the batter to supply a easy return catch.
Shubman Gill (9) was unfortunate as he would have survived had he taken a assessment with TV replays exhibiting that Hosein’s arm ball was drifting down the leg-side.
Tilak Varma (27 off 18 balls) was at his fluent greatest taking 19 off the ultimate powerplay over bowled by Alzarri Joseph. But he additionally fell prey to the slowness of the observe providing Chase a return catch.
Tilak’s dismissal did turn into the turning level so far as India’s downfall was involved.
This was Surya’s fifteenth T20I fifty however it was on the scratchier facet regardless of some wonderful strokes together with the six off Joseph over long-off to finish his milestone.
But it didn’t assist as Sanju Samson (13 off 9 deliveries) performed a nothing shot with none footwork off Romario Shepherd (4/31 in 4 overs) to place extra stress on Surya.
Skipper Hardik Pandya (14 off 18 balls) couldn’t get off the blocks and wasted too many balls earlier than lastly connecting one after which perishing off the very subsequent ball as Shepherd used the slower ones to good impact.
Pandya’s issues did have its impact as Surya couldn’t present the ultimate flourish. Axar Patel (13) and Mukesh Kumar, who hit a last ball boundary, pushed India in direction of a par-score however that wasn’t sufficient ultimately.