LAUDERHILL, Florida – A purposeful half-century from Rovman Powell brought delight for West Indies, but they conceded they conceded the MyTeam11 Twenty20 International Series, International co-sponsored by Skoda and Fena, to India on Sunday, after lightning storms stalled their run chase, leaving them with a 22-run defeat under the Duckworth/Lewis/Stern Method.
Powell struck six fours and three sixes in 54 from 34 balls, as West Indies, chasing 168, reached 98 for four in 15.3 overs before a lightning storm and rain combined to bring an early close to the contest at the Broward County Stadium here.
The rain never relented and when the contest was called off 45 minutes later, West Indies were well short of the par score of 120.
The defeat followed their four-wicket loss in Saturday’s opener at the same venue and they will now head into the final T20 International on Tuesday in Guyana trying to avoid yet another whitewash to the Indians.
Hoping to level the series, West Indies were set back early when they lost both openers with eight runs on the board after three overs.
Left-hander Evin Lewis was brilliantly caught and bowled by seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar without scoring – his second “duck” in as many days – while Sunil Narine, promoted to open in place of John Campbell, missed a heave and was bowled by off-spinner Washington Sundar for four.
Powell then stepped up to hit the top score – his second T20I half-century and second in four matches – as he repaired the damage in a 76-run, third-wicket partnership with left-hander Nicholas Pooran.
Though Powell was fluent, Pooran uncharacteristically struggled, requiring 34 balls for his knock of 19 and hitting just one four.
With the required run rate having climbed to beyond 12 runs per over, Pooran was caught in the deep off left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya – Manish Pandey on the ropes pulling off the now familiar toss-up catch.
And three balls later in the same over with just a run added, Powell, who had notched his half-century off 30 balls in the 13th over, was trapped lbw by one that pitched and straightened.
By then, the required run rate had climbed to over 13 runs an over leaving the #MenInMaroon with a mammoth task, and Kieron Pollard, not out on eight, and Shimron Hetmyer, not out on six, were only just getting settled when the weather ended the contest.
Earlier, West Indies failed to make inroads into India’s batting and Rohit Sharma hit the top score of 67 off 51 balls to give the visitors the impetus for a total of 167 for five from their 20 overs, after they chose to bat.
After an opening stand of 67 between Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan kept them at bay early, the home team made intermittent breakthroughs to stop the Indians from running away with the scoring.
Left-arm pacer Sheldon Cottrell and compatriot Oshane Thomas ended with two wickets apiece for West Indies.
Source: CMC/CWI Media
