The West Indies scrambled to a one-wicket victory with 14 balls to spare over India in the second match of the Celkon Mobile Cup Tri-Nation One-Day International Series at Sabina Park on Sunday.
Birthday boy Kemar Roach and last man Tino Best ensured the West Indies did not complete their own destruction, turning in match saving performances.
The home side had to reply to the World Cup and Champions Trophy holders’ total of 229-7.
They tottered from the comfort of 142-3 in the 28th over via a rash of irresponsible shots, even with Johnson Charles battling to hold the innings together.
However the opening batsman joined the apparent suicide pact: he was eighth out for 97 and Sunil Narine also gifted his wicket at 220-9.
It was left to the Barbadian fast bowling pair of Roach — on his 25th birthday — and Best to see the West Indies home in a nail-biting finish.
India were deprived of the calming influence of Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the field after the captain was hobbled while batting by a suspected right hamstring strain.
However, under the supervision of Virat Kohli, the visitors refused to give up, even when Charles and Darren Bravo (55) appeared to be tilting the balance decisively the home team’s way.
Their fourth-wicket partnership of 116 lifted the Caribbean side from the early discomfort of 26-3.
Umesh Yadav, who removed the dangerous Chris Gayle and Devon Smith in his opening burst, added the important wicket of Charles to keep his team’s hopes alive in the match. He finished with figures of 3-43.
West Indies were themselves without their regular captain throughout the match.
With Dwayne Bravo sidelined with a groin strain, Kieron Pollard took the reins.
Ravi Rampaul was also missing with a twisted ankle, but as it turned out his replacement Best played a key role in the victory.
The Barbadian claimed the wickets of Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja near the end of the Indian innings before returning to ensure his team scraped over the line to consolidate their position at the top of the three-team standings.
They now have two wins in two matches and head to Trinidad for repeat clashes with India and Sri Lanka before the final on July 11.
“At the end, we got over the line and that’s what matters,” said a relieved Pollard in the immediate aftermath of victory.
“In the recent past, West Indies teams would have capitulated completely, so it shows we have a bit of fight and character in this side,” he said.
Opening batsman Rohit Sharma had top-scored for India with 60 and featured in a 58-run fifth-wicket partnership with the experienced left-hander Suresh Raina.
Raina’s knock of 44 was the next best effort among a batting line-up that generally struggled to come to terms with the two-paced nature of the pitch earlier in the day.
It was the same experience for Sri Lanka on the way to their six-wicket defeat at the hands of the West Indies in the tournament’s opening fixture on Friday at the same venue.
“It was a completely different wicket in the morning session,” Kohli said after the match. “It was two-paced and turning when we batted, but we saw none of that in the afternoon, but I think the bowlers, the way they fought, and the fielders, it was commendable.”
Roach and former captain Darren Sammy had identical bowling figures of 2-41.
Best also claimed two victims in his final spell after being expensive and wayward in his earlier effort with the new ball.
Unusually, spinner Narine proved the most expensive, conceding 56 runs off ten wicketless overs.
Manchester United on Tuesday confirmed Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season, tasking him with leading the Red Devils back into the UEFA Champions League. “Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honor,” said Carrick, 44, who won 12 major trophies in his 12-year playing career at United. The former midfielder previously had an unbeaten three-game stint as caretaker boss at Old Trafford in 2021. Carrick then took on his first permanent managerial role at second-tier Middlesbrough in October 2022 and was sacked in June last year after the club finished 10th in the
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg on Wednesday was ruled out for the second half of their 118-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets after the No. 1 pick sprained his left ankle in the first half. Flagg was called for a foul while defending against Peyton Watson and turned the ankle as he fell to the floor with 6 minutes, 1 second left in the second quarter. Flagg limped to the bench and continued to the locker room, but returned for the final 2 minutes, 35 seconds before the break. The 19-year-old did not come out for the second half before the announcement that
Yassine Bounou on Wednesday saved two penalties, while Youssef en-Nesyri netted the decisive spot-kick as hosts Morocco secured a 4-2 shoot-out victory over Nigeria following a 0-0 draw in a tense Africa Cup of Nations semi-final in Rabat. Morocco, seeking their first continental title in 50 years, are to face 2021 winners Senegal in Sunday’s decider in Rabat, while Nigeria take on Egypt in the third-place playoff tomorrow. The 120 minutes before the shoot-out had few clear-cut chances for either side, but it was Morocco who created more opportunities, although they were denied by some fine saves from Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali. Nigeria
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Sunday sparked defending champions Oklahoma City to victory, while Anthony Edwards led Minnesota’s last-minute fightback to beat San Antonio. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points while adding eight assists and five rebounds in the Thunder’s 124-112 home victory over Miami, improving the NBA’s best record to 33-7 after outscoring the Heat 70-53 in the second half. “We locked in defensively. We were finally able to get some stops,” Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins said. “We were able to get out in transition a little bit, get going offensively and find the flow.” Jalen Williams scored 18 points, while
RSS