#WIvIND-5THT20I-23 : Brandon King ,Nicholas Pooran Power West Indies Chase To Beat India Convincingly By 8 Wickets ; Clinch Series 3-2

Picture : ICC/ Twitter

Skipper Hardik Pandya after India’s eight-wicket loss to West Indies in the fifth T20I said that he failed to finish the game well. He also said that “sometimes losing is good, you get to learn a lot.”

Nicholas Pooran and Brandon King’s blistering batting display helped West Indies clinch a five-match T20I series 3-2 against India here at Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground on Sunday. This is WI’s first T20I series win against India since 2017.

“If you see, we lost that period post ten overs. Since when I came, I was not able to capitalise and I took my time and could not finish. [On his decision at the toss] I believe that as a group we have to challenge ourselves. All these games are the games where we have to learn. We have spoken as a group that whenever we can take the hard way we will. In hindsight, one series here or there does not matter but the commitment to the goal is important. [On the T20 World Cup next year] It is a long way. We have the ODI WC coming up. And sometimes losing is good. You get to learn a lot,” said Pandya in a post-match presentation.

“And special mention for all the boys. They showed great character. Winning and losing is a part of the process and we are going to make sure we learn from that. [On his bowling changes] It is what I feel at the moment, I do not plan much. If I see a situation, whatever my gut says I follow. [On captaining young players] They have got heart. That is something that is very important in international cricket. Every youngster coming through has belief. That is something I see very often now. Kudos to them, they came out and took responsibility. I cannot be happier as a captain,” added the skipper.

Electing to bat first, India was off to a bad start, losing openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (5) and Shubman Gill (9) quickly, reducing Men in Blue to 17/2. Following these two quick hiccups, Suryakumar Yadav had a 49-run partnership with Tilak Varma (27 in 18 balls with three fours and two sixes). After the dismissal of Tilak, it was all pretty much downhill for India. Suryakumar scored 61 in 45 balls (four boundaries and a six), but Sanju Samson (13) and skipper Hardik Pandya (14) failed to provide much support to the number one-ranked T20I batter from the other end. Wickets kept falling and India finished at 165/9 in their 20 overs.

A four-wicket haul by Romario Shepherd (4/31) put brakes on India’s progress during the innings, as he got crucial wickets of Samson and Pandya. Akael Hosein (2/24) got both the openers while Jason Holder (2/36) got the crucial wicket of Suryakumar.

In the chase of 166, WI lost Kyle Mayers (10) cheaply. But a 107-run stand between Brandon King and Nicholas Pooran (47 in 35 balls, with one fours and four sixes) took the match completely from India, before Tilak dismissed Pooran. King, who scored 85* in 55 balls with five fours and six sixes, joined forces with Shai Hope (22* in 13 balls) to take WI to a win with two overs to spare.

Tilak and Arshdeep took a wicket each for India. Shepherd’s four-fer earned him the ‘Player of the Match’ award.

Pooran got the ‘Player of the Series’ award for scoring 176 runs in five matches with the best score of 67 and a strike rate of almost 142.