In a cracker of a match, Rohit Sharma-led India finally had the last laugh as they eked out an 8-run victory over West Indies in the second T20 match on Friday (February 18). With this win India lead the three-match T20 series 2-0. It was also India's 100th T20I victory. Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant smashed an identical score of 52 to spur India to a huge total of 186.
In reply, the Caribbean pair of Nicholas Pooran (62 off 41) and Rovman Powell (68 not out off 36) showed all their power-hitting pyro techniques to not just revive West Indies from the early blows but also threaten India to steal a challenging win, but Harshal Patel and Bhuvneshwar Kumar held their nerve in the final three overs to halt Caribbeans' innings to 178/3. India eventually won by eight runs to win the T20 series with one match to spare. Buvneshwar, Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravi Bishnoi scalped one wicket each.
Earlier, India began the proceedings on a sedate note in Kolkata with the hosts losing Ishan Kishan early. Virat Kohli was back among runs with a fifty while Rishabh Pant smashed a quick-fire unbeaten 52 to lift India to a challenging 186 for five in their second T20I against the West Indies, here on Friday.
Chasing their 100th T20I win, India, early on, were guided by Kohli who took charge of the proceedings after Roston Chase exposed the Indian middle order.
Kohli hit his 30th fifty in the shortest format, his first since the 57 versus Pakistan in the T20 World Cup on October 24 last year.
The former captain's sheer elegance was on full display as he cut, pulled and also took the aerial route en route to his 41-ball 52 that had seven fours and one six.
Luck also favoured Kohli on the day as the former skipper brought up his 30th T20I fifty with a slog over long-on after Jason Holder failed to get hold of the catch as the ball went over the boundary.
But Kohli failed to make it big and was cleaned up by Chase two balls later after the Windies off-spinner breached his gate for his third wicket. Chase was impressive in the middle overs to return with 3/25 and which included the wickets of Rohit Sharma (19) and Suryakumar Yadav (8).
Thereafter it was Pant and Venkatesh Iyer (33 from 18 balls) show on offer as they took charge on the likes of Kieron Pollard and Romario Shepherd in their 76-run partnership from 35 balls.
The Man of the Match Pant brought up his third fifty in T20Is with a double in the penultimate delivery of the innings, taking just 27 balls to get to the milestone.
Earlier India got off to a slow start with Sheldon Cottrell bowling four dots on the trot before dismissing Ishan Kishan in the second over of the day.
Kishan, who was the most expensive buy of the IPL 2022 mega auction, looked listless and under pressure to continue his poor form and departed for two after his 10-ball stay.
But thereafter it was Kohli show at the sparsely-crowded Eden as the former India skipper delighted his fans with his elegant timing and strokeplay.
Getting off the mark with a boundary with a whip to the square leg boundary, Kohli found his timing early on and got a second boundary in the same over of Akeal Hossain.
Kohli was the aggressor and skipper Rohit was happy to play the second fiddle as the duo took India's score to almost 50 in the first six overs.
There was a clear shift in India's batting in the powerplay as the duo were not afraid to take the aerial route.
Rohit departed for 19 in 18 balls after a fine partnership with Kohli that yielded 49 runs from 36 balls before Chase gave the breakthrough in his first over removing the Indian skipper after inducing a thick leading edge to be caught at the point.
In his next over, Chase accounted for Suryakumar to expose India's middle over but Kohli ensured that there was no further damage.
After India's first innings Virat said that he is happy with the intent of playing shots in his blitzkrieg.
"I had decided to stay positive but then we lost a few (Rohit Sharma, Surya Kumar Yadav) wickets. I still wanted to keep going but unfortunately I got out ," Kohli said.
"I was happy with my intent that I wanted to play my shots. Sometimes when you play with responsibility over a period of time, you tend to ask (yourself) if you want to play the big shots early. You don't want to be reckless but at the same time you want to play your shots. That is the balance you strive for," the former India captain added.