Nicholas Pooran and Kieron Pollard hit attacking half-centuries to power the West Indies to 315 for five in the third and deciding one-day international against India on Sunday.
Pooran, who hit 89 off 63 balls, and Pollard, 74 not out, put on 135 runs for the fifth wicket as the West Indies put up a challenging total after being in trouble at 144/4 in Cuttack. The left-right batting pair of Pooran and Pollard, who hit three fours and seven sixes in his 51-ball blitz, combined to rebuild the innings and then took the attack to the opposition bowlers.
India pacer Navdeep Saini claimed two wickets after being handed his One-day International cap by skipper Virat Kohli who won the toss and elected to bowl in India’s bid to clinch a series tied at 1-1. The 27-year-old Saini got his first wicket in the format after sending the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer back to the pavilion for 37. Hetmyer’s wicket ended a 62-run third-wicket stand with Roston Chase who was bowled by a toe-crushing yorker from Saini for 38 to hurt the West Indies.
But Pooran counter attacked and completed his second successive fifty with a six off left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who went wicketless after coming into the game needing one to reach a century.
He hit 10 fours and three sixes in his knock that lasted 64 balls before falling to Shardul Thakur with a mistimed hit to deep point. Pollard hit two successive boundaries to raise his fifty and pulverised the bowling in the final few overs as West Indies managed 77 runs from the last 30 deliveries.
Openers Evin Lewis (21) and Shai Hope (42) put on 57 runs with some sedate batting that lay the foundations for West Indies total. Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant dropped three catches to give Chase (on nought), Hetmyer (on nine) and Pooran (on 52) extended stays at the wicket.