In the third and final one-day international (ODI) match versus the West Indies, which took place at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad, Team India displayed a clinical performance. Even though rain played a factor in the game, the Men in Blue started strong and went on to win the match by a large margin of 119 runs (using the D/L scoring system) to take the one-day international series.
Mohammed Siraj gave a perfect start to the visitors by grabbing two wickets in an over. This was followed by some excellent bowling performances by Axar Patel (one wicket), Prasidh Krishna (one wicket), Yuzvendra Chahal (four wickets), and Shardul Thakur (2 wickets). Overall, the Indian bowlers did an outstanding job of defending a revised target of 257 runs.
Chahal and Axar, who are the spin bowlers for the team, did an outstanding job with the ball, as seen by the fact that they prevented runs from being scored and gave up nothing. In the meantime, India’s wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson, who is not known for talking excessively, was heard asking Axar to bowl at the stumps during the third over of India’s innings.
Sanju Samson provides advice to Axar Patel
Shai Hope was able to play a drive, but it was halted in the cover area thanks to a ball that was bowled by Axar that was outside the off-stump. After that, Samson was overheard saying, “Chal Bapu abhi gilli pe wapas aa jaa (Come on Axar, now get back to bowling at the stumps).” Axar came close to taking a wicket with the following delivery when Hope edged the ball to the slips. However, the ball did not travel to Shikhar Dhawan and hence Axar was unable to take the wicket.
In further discussion of the game, it should be noted that Team India triumphed in the coin toss and elected to bat first. The team got off to a good start with contributions from batsmen Shubman Gill and Shikhar Dhawan. Because of the halt caused by the rain, Gill (98*) fell short of his well-deserved century by two runs.
After India batting first, the West Indies were bowled out for 137/10, and the away team went on to win by 119 runs and take the match. Throughout the one-day international series, Gill displayed outstanding batting skills, which led to him being named Player of the Match as well as Player of the Series. Both sides will now compete against one another in a Twenty20 International series that will begin on July 29 and consist of five matches.
