Windies In A Spin From Heroes To Zeros With India’s Clean Sweep Of ODI Series
Kieron Pollard and Nicholas Pooran both failed as skipper as the West Indies suffered an embarrassing 3-0 ODI series defeat to India today (11 February).
Although the bowling was disciplined at all three matches behind closed doors at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, it was the poor performances with the bat that proved so costly for the tourists.
Results show that have the Windies have struggled in ODIs, bowled out in 11 of their past 15 ODIs since the start of 2021. A worrying statistic is that they have lost 48 wickets to spin during those 15 matches. The 3rd ODI saw India make a stuttering start to reach 42-3 before Shreyas Iyer (80) and Rishabh Pant (56) made a 110-run stand. Once the pair were dismissed, India wavered but still managed to reach a commendable 265 all out off 50 overs.
Bajan Jason Holder was the most fearful bowler, continuing his impressive series displays by claiming figures of 4-34. When Holder was sent back to the pavilion for just six runs, with the tourists in trouble at 76-5 in the 16th over, it was only a matter of time as to when the rest of the team would crumble.
The lack of contributions from the batsman, who simply could not cope with the attack of the relentless spinners, proved once again to be the downfall of the Windies who were dismissed for a dismal 169.
Pooran’s steady knock of 34 held the side together. The tourists were indebted to Jamaica’s Odean Smith, with an explosive 18-ball score of 36, and a gritty innings from Antigua’s Alzarri Joseph (29) to avoid an even heftier defeat after staring at an inevitable defeat at 82-7.
It did not bode well for the tourists when Sunday’s opening ODI ended in a six-wicket reversal, with the West Indies skittled out for 176. The 2nd ODI saw the Windies bowled out for 193 and the final ODI again saw problems at the crease with the tourists back in the pavilion for a pitiful 169.
Pooran, the stand-in skipper, said: “The way we bowled in the series was wonderful and the way that the guys bowled in the last two games was fantastic. But we have a lot of work to put in in the longer formats.”
After the breathtaking thrills and spills in Barbados, when the Windies collectively fended off the challenge of world no.1 T20I team England, there were high expectations against India and their spinners.
Pollard lost the opening ODI in a day/night contest with 22 overs remaining. Only an exciting 78-run eighth-wicket partnership between Holder (57) and Jamaica’s Fabian Allen (29) saved their blushes.
India had few problems in chasing down the target with aplomb to finish on 178-4 with 132 balls to spare.
With Pollard injured for the next two matches, Pooran was given a tough time with India smashing 237-9 from their allotted 50 overs in the 2nd ODI.
In response Barbados’ Shamarh Brooks (44) and Trinidad’s Akeal Hosein (34) added 41 runs for the sixth wicket. But the Windies were in trouble at 117-6 until Smith hit two sixes and a four during his rapid 20-ball knock of 24.
When Barbadian Kemar Roach was caught out leg before for a duck by Prasidh Krishna, India secured their 11th bilateral ODI series success on the bounce against West Indies that dates back to 2007.
Following the disappointment of this ODI series, it is back to the drawing board for the Windies for the trio of T20Is to be played behind closed doors in a secure bubble at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The Windies only lost their way against England’s spinners in the home T20I series, but with Smith ever-improving they can recover from this long format discomfort to bounce back in style before they face England on home soil in Antigua, Barbados and Grenada for a trio of Test matches.
6 February| 1st ODI (Ahmedabad, India)
India 178-4 (28 overs) beat WI 176 all out (43.5 overs) by 6 wickets
9 February| 2nd ODI (Ahmedabad, India)
India 237-9 (50 overs) beat WI 193 all out (46 overs) by 44 runs
11 February | 3rd ODI (Ahmedabad, India)
India 265 all (50 overs) beat WI 169 all out (37.1 overs) by 96 runs
16 February | 1st T20I v India (Kolkata, India)
18 February | 2nd T20I v India (Kolkata, India)
20 February | 3t T20I v India (Kolkata, India)
1-4 March | Warm-up friendly v England Select XI (Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua)
8-12 March | 1st Test WI v England (Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua)
16-20 March | 2nd Test WI v England (Kensington Oval, Barbados)
24-28 March | 3rd Test WI v England (National Cricket Stadium, Grenada)
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