50 for Virat Kohli, 100 for India

Kolkata, February 18

Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel produced superb bowling at the death as India survived some anxious moments before walking out with an eight-run win over West Indies in the second T20I that handed them an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series here today.

Chasing 187, wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran (62 off 41 balls) and Rovman Powell (68 not out from 36 balls) hit belligerent fifties to keep them in the hunt as they needed 29 runs from the last two overs.

But Bhuvneshwar revived India’s hopes by removing the dangerous-looking Pooran with a slower off-cutter. Under pressure after he dropped Powell off his own bowling, Bhuvneshwar was brilliant and conceded just four runs in the over.

Needing to defend 25 in the final over, Patel was hit for two consecutive sixes but he held his nerves to seal the issue for India.

This was India’s 100th win in T20Is as they sealed the series with one match to go on Sunday.

Is Kohli back?

Earlier, Virat Kohli was back among the runs with a fifty while Rishabh Pant smashed a quick-fire unbeaten 52 to lift India to a challenging 186/5.

Kohli hit his 30th fifty in the shortest format, his first since the 57 against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup in October 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 innings that had seven fours and one six.

But Kohli was cleaned up by Roston Chase two balls after he completed his fifty. The Windies off-spinner was impressive to return with figures of 3/25, which included the wickets of Rohit Sharma (19) and Suryakumar Yadav (8).

Thereafter, Pant and Venkatesh Iyer (33 from 18 balls) took charge, scoring 76 from 35 balls.

Brief scores: India: 186/5 (Pant 52*, Kohli 52; Chase 3/25); West Indies: 178/3 (Powell 68*, Pooran 62; Bhuvneshwar 1/29). — PTI

‘Happy with my intent’

Kolkata: Virat Kohli gave glimpses of his vintage form with a fine half-century and the former India captain was happy with his intent while playing shots during India’s second T20I against West Indies here today. Kohli’s 52 off 41 balls had seven fours and a six and a welcome return to form after a dry spell of four games. “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. Today, I was happy with that balance,” he added.

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