Lucknow, Nov 6: Skipper Rohit Sharma’s record-breaking fourth T20 International hundred powered India to a comprehensive 71-run win over West Indies in what turned out to be another one-sided series victory for the hosts.
India, thus, took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20 series. The last T20 will be played in Chennai on November 11.
The legend of Rohit in white ball format continued to grow exponentially as his unbeaten 111 off 61 balls helped India score 195 for 2 after being put into bat.
Rohit, who also surpassed regular skipper Virat Kohli to become top run-getter among Indians in shortest format, was at his brutal best, hitting eight boundaries and seven towering sixes.
In reply, West Indies batting caved in once again as they managed only 124 for 9 at the end of the stipulated overs.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/12), Jasprit Bumrah (2/20), Khaleel Ahmed (2/30) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/32) equally shared the spoils.
West Indies’ misery in the two-month long tour was compounded as they suffered yet another series defeated after losing the Test series 0-2 and subsequently the one dayers by 1-3 margin.
Earlier, Rohit and Shikhar Dhawan (43 off 41) made up for their rare failure in the first T20 in Kolkata on Sunday, stitching 123 runs off 84 balls for the opening wicket to lay the foundation for the big score.
Young pace sensation Oshane Thomas got West Indies off to a fine start with a maiden over. But the Indian openers finally broke the shackles in the fifth over when Rohit and Dhawan took Thomas to the cleaners hitting a six and two boundaries, picking up 17 runs.
Dhawan, however, was lucky as Keemo Paul dropped a straight forward catch at deep mid-wicket in the ninth over off captain Carlos Braithwaite.
It eventually opened the flood gates for India as Rohit thereafter dealt mostly in boundaries and sixes to notch up his fifty in 38 balls. The elegant right-hander mostly preferred the straight boundaries and cleared them on both sides with consummate ease. (PTI)
Scoreboard
India Innings
Rohit Sharma not out 111
Shikhar Dhawan c Pooran b Fabian Allen 43
Rishabh Pant c Hetmyer b Khary Pierre 5
Lokesh Rahul not out 26
Extras 10 (w 8, nb 2)
Total 195 (2 wickets, 20 Overs)
Fall of Wickets: 123-1, 133-2
Bowler: Oshane Thomas 4-1-27-0, Keemo Paul 4-0-30-0, Khary Pierre 4-0-49-1, Carlos Brathwaite 4-0-56-0, Fabian Allen 4-0-33-1.
Windies Innings 124-9
Shai Hope b Khaleel 6
Shimron Hetmyer c Dhawan b Khaleel 15
Darren Bravo c Rohit b Kuldeep 23
Denesh Ramdin c Rohit b Bhuvneshwar 10
Nicholas Pooran b Kuldeep 4
Kieron Pollard c & b Bumrah 6
Carlos Brathwaite not out 15
Fabian Allen run out (Krunal Pandya) 0
Keemo Paul c Rohit b Bhuvneshwar 20
Khary Pierre c & b Bumrah 1
Oshane Thomas not out 8
Extras (b-4, lb-3, w-9) 16
Total (For 9 wkts, 20 Overs) 124
Fall of Wickets: 1-7, 2-33, 3-48, 4-52, 5-68. 6-81, 7-81, 8-114, 9-116
Bowlers: Bhuvneshwar 4-0-12-2, Khaleel 4-0-30-2, Bumrah 4-0-20-2, Krunal 4-0-23-0, Kuldeep 4-0-32-2.
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