The Indian team got off to a bad start in their chase of a modest target of just 190 runs set by West Indies in the crucial fourth one-dayer of the five match series being played here on Sunday.
The West Indian bowlers came out with a spirited effort at the start of India’s innings inspite of having been let down by their batsmen once again in the series.
Youngster Alzarri Joseph once again showed potential as he partnered his captain Jason Holder for the opening spell of the innings.
However, his first wicket came through a rather soft dismissal. Shikhar Dhawan, who came into this series in rich vain of form and continued in the same way during the first two matches, got out for a single digit score for a second successive match when he mistimed a flick on an innocuous looking delivery to hand an easy catch to the mid-on fielder Holder.
The captain, at the other end, was bowling a tight line and length and in the corridor of uncertainty and not allowing Indian batsmen to play strokes easily.
His efforts were rewarded when Virat Kohli, just as in the last game, top-edged an attempted pull shot to give an easy catch to wicketkeeper Shai Hope.
After suffering these two early blows, Ajinkya Rahane and Dinesh Karthik got together to resurrect the innings. But Karthik didn’t survive too long as he too top edged a delivery from Joseph and was caught by the wicketkeeper.
India were 54/3 when reports last came in with Rahane holding fort and batting on 37 and MS Dhoni at the other end not out on 4.
Earlier in the day, all-rounder Hardik Pandya and chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav yet again proved very effective in the middle overs as India restricted West Indies to a modest 189 for nine in the fourth cricket One-day International, here on Sunday.
Coming into the must-win match, West Indies elected to bat and were off to a steady start but lacked character for a flourishing finish against the visitors, who now look set to clinch the series. Openers Evin lewis (35) and Kyle Hope (35) put on 57 runs in a steady start for the hosts before young Pandya (3/40) broke the partnership by getting rid of the latter.
Kuldeep, who has looked impressive from the beginning of his debut, made life tough tough for the West Indies batsmen with his stock ball and googlies.
lewis tried to open his arms, going for a drive off Kuldeep, but the ball turned a bit and went straight to captain Virat Kohli at mid-wicket.
With Pandya and Kuldeep (2/31) bowling in tandem accurate lines, the hosts found the going tough. lack of application from the home batsmen made the job easier for India.
Paceman Umesh Yadav (3/36) also contributed in cleaning up the middle over by scalping three batsmen. Once the openers departed it got worse for the West Indies, which needed a good partnership and a batsman, who could stay on the crease for a longer period.
The chinaman bowler struck for the second time when he deceived Roston Chase (25) in the air and the ball clipped the bails, leaving the team at 121 for there in 31.2 overs.
The hosts maintained a decent run-rate but now they needed to accelerate to present some challenge before the formidable batting line-up. Pandya returned and dismissed wicket-keeper Shai Hope (25) by having him caught behind and soon Umesh Yadav had his first victim in rival captain Jason Holder (11). Half the team was back in pavilion. The responsibility to get the side a fighting total was on Jason Mohammed and Rovman Powell.
However both of them departed soon. Powell, attempting to hit one hard from Umesh while Mohammed hit straight to Jadeja off Pandya. Umesh troubled the tail-enders Devendra Bishoo (15) and Ashley Nurse (4) with his fast and rising deliveries. One such ball hurried on to Nurse took an edge and Umesh caught it diving to his follow right.