The Indian cricket team defeated West Indies in the second ODI on Sunday to register an invisible lead in the series. Chasing a target of 312, the Men in Blue got off to an abrupt start after losing three wickets before putting 80 runs on the board. With half of the team back in the pavilion on 205 runs in the 39th over, the match appeared to be tilting towards the host. However, India’s Axar Patel had some different plans. The all-rounder stitched crucial partnerships first with Deepak Hooda and then with Avesh Khan to take the match down to the wire.
With six needed off the final three deliveries, Axar hit Kyle Mayers straight over his head for a maximum to take India home in a nail-biting finish. Post the match, BCCI uploaded a video where Yuzuvendra Chahal interviewed his teammates about handling the pressure in the last overs. While doing so, Chahal shared a hilarious take on the victory and compared the pressure of it to that of his wedding. “I bit all my nails off. The pressure was so much sitting outside. Itna pressure toh shaadi ke time nahi tha,” Chahal said at the start of the video before Axar and Avesh joined to share their mantras of handling pressure.
Chahal TV 📺 is back – this time from The Caribbean 😎 👌
This episode ft., 2nd #WIvIND ODI batting hero – @akshar2026 & ODI debutant @Avesh_6. 👍 👍 – By @28anand
Full interview 🎥 🔽 #TeamIndia | @yuzi_chahalhttps://t.co/KbrajeCbYR pic.twitter.com/Ulb42hOdvO
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 25, 2022
Axar was adjudged Player of the Match for his match-winning 64 off 35 balls and a wicket. Scoring his maiden ODI half-century, the southpaw hit five sixes and three boundaries.
Earlier, West Indies got off to a flying start after electing to bat first. While opener Hyle Mayers was dismissed after scoring 39 off 23 balls, Shai Hope held the innings together from one end. Stitching a crucial partnership with Sharmarh Brook and skipper Nicholas Pooran, Hope put the hosts in a comfortable position. Registering a ton, Hope scored 115 off 135 balls before finally getting dismissed by Shardul Thakur in the 49th over.
Thakur finished as the leading wicket-taker for India getting 3 successes in his spell. Deepak Hooda, Axar Patel and Yuzuvendra Chahal finished with one wicket each.
With the series already in their grip, India will now look to register a clean sweep when they face the hosts at Queen’s Park Oval on July 27.
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