Hosein, Joseph seal tense win for WI

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC):

In-form left-hander Nicholas Pooran struck a Man-of-the-Match half-century as West Indies survived a middle-order collapse to beat India by two wickets and take a critical 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

In pursuit of 153 in the second Twenty20 International (T20I) here yesterday, West Indies overhauled their target with seven balls to spare at the National Stadium, with Pooran top-scoring with 67 off 40 deliveries.

However, the victory appeared unlikely when the home side shockingly lost four wickets for three runs in the space of 13 deliveries, to swiftly decline to 129 for eight at the end of the 16th over.

But tail-enders Akeal Hosein (16 not out) and Alzarri Joseph (10 not out) held their nerve in an unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 26, left-hander Hosein clinching victory by thumping seamer Mukesh Kumar to the long off boundary in the penultimate over.

The victory put West Indies in sight of their first success in a multi-match T20 series against India in seven years, ahead of Tuesday’s third game at the same venue.

“It’s a very good position to be in. Hopefully we can keep winning,” said West Indies captain Rovman Powell.

Opting to bat first, India slumped to 18 for two in the fourth over before left-hander Tilak Varma top-scored with 51 from 41 deliveries, and opener Ishan Kishan (27) and captain Hardik Pandya (24) played supporting knocks, to get the innings up to 152 for seven from the allotted 20 overs.

Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph (2-28) got Gill to miscue to Shimron Hetmyer at deep backward point in the third over after being struck for a six the previous delivery, while Kyle Mayers’ direct hit at the non-striker’s end in the next over sent Suryakumar Yadav on his way for one.

Ishan led the recovery, belting a brace of fours and sixes in a 23-ball knock, and adding an important 42 for the third with Tilak, who counted five fours and a six in his innings.

When Ishan missed a tentative push at seamer Romario Shepherd (2-28) and was bowled in the 10th over, and Sanju Sampson charged left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein (2-29), fluffed his lines and was stumped in the 12th, it was left to Tilak to post a further 38 for the fifth wicket with Pandya and steady the innings.

West Indies then endured a rocky start, Brandon King’s drive taken low at cover by a diving Suryakumar Yadav off the first ball of the chase from seamer Pandya (3-35), and Johnson Charles (2) punching the fourth delivery to be caught at point at two for two.

When Mayers played down the wrong line and was leg before wicket to left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh for 15, West Indies were in further trouble at 32 for three in the fourth over.

But Pooran leapt to his side’s rescue, pummelling half-dozen fours and fours sixes in a brilliant counter-attack, as he put on a precious 57 with Powell (21) for the fourth wicket and 37 for the fifth wicket with Hetmyer (22).

He reached his 10th T20I 50 off 29 balls in the 10th over, but his dismissal at the end of the 14th over, taken at point on the second attempt by Samson off seamer Mukesh Kumar, saw West Indies collapse from a comfortable position of 126 for four to a nervous 129 for eight.

With the game in the balance, Hosein steered Arshdeep to the backward point boundary in the 18th before Joseph clobbered Mukesh over the ropes at mid-wicket at the start of the penultimate over, to ease the tension and put West Indies within reach of victory.