ZCZC
BSP-18
CRICKET-IND-WIS
Sharma, Rahul tons lead India to 387-5 in second ODI
VISAKHAPATNAM, India, Dec 18, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Aggressive centuries by
openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul set the stage for India’s 387 for five in
the second one-day international against the West Indies on Wednesday.
The opening pair put on 227 runs as India piled up a formidable total
after being put into bat in Visakhapatnam.
Sharma led the onslaught with 159 off 138 balls, while Rahul made 102 in
a must-win game for the hosts who trail the three-match series 1-0 following
their loss on Sunday.
Shreyas Iyer tore into the West Indies attack with a 32-ball 53 as he
hit Roston Chase for 31 runs — including four sixes and one four — in the
47th over.
His partnerships including a 73-run fourth-wicket stand with
wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who hit 39 off 16 deliveries.
Sharma, who was dropped on 70 when Shimron Hetmyer spilled a skier off
Chase, was slow out of the blocks but got into his stride after reaching 50
off 67 deliveries.
The attacking batsman soon overtook his partner, who had raised his
fifty in 46 balls, and went on to complete his 28th ODI hundred amid loud
cheers from a capacity crowd.
Rahul recorded his third ODI hundred with a boundary off Alzarri Joseph,
but lost his wicket to the paceman four balls later when mistiming a shot to
third man.
Skipper Virat Kohli had a rare flop as he fell for a first-ball duck,
giving away a simple catch to mid-wicket off his opposite number Kieron
Pollard.
Sharma, the only ODI batsman to score three double centuries, was
unstoppable as he took apart the West Indies bowling with 17 fours and five
sixes.
Nicknamed the Hitman, he Sharma registered his eighth score of 150 plus
before edging an incoming delivery from paceman Sheldon Cottrell to
wicketkeeper Shai Hope.
Iyer and Pant then got going as India managed 79 runs from the final
five overs.
BSS/AFP/BZC/1920HRS