Virat Kohli declared it “a great year” for India cricket after ending on a high with a series-clinching win over the West Indies.
The India captain’s masterful 85 on Sunday set up a successful 316-run chase to win the third one-day international by four wickets and complete a 2-1 series triumph.
Kohli’s side end the year ranked No. 1 in Tests and No. 2 in one-dayers, with the only regret being a World Cup semi-final defeat to New Zealand at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, in July.
“Apart from the 30 minutes in the World Cup, it’s been a great year,” Kohli said. “We’ll keep chasing that ICC trophy, but apart from that, the way we’ve played has been satisfying.”
India lead the new world Test championship table with three series sweeps. Kohli ended the year with 1,377 runs in 26 one-day matches, behind swashbuckling opener Rohit Sharma, who topped the season’s batting chart with 1,490 runs, including seven centuries.
However, it was India’s fast bowlers who stood out with pace and control — even on spin-friendly home pitches.
Pace spearhead Mohammed Shami led the world wicket-taking charts with 42 in 21 matches. New Zealand’s Trent Boult was next with 38 scalps.
Kohli was full of praise for his pacemen across all formats.
“Having a bunch of fast bowlers who can bowl out any opposition, anywhere, them taking the attention away from the spinners in India, is a huge achievement,” Kohli said.
PAKISTAN WIN TEST
AFP, KARACHI, Pakistan
Pakistan yesterday celebrated the return of Test cricket for the first time in more than 10 years with a convincing 263-run win over Sri Lanka in the second Test in Karachi, taking the series 1-0.
It took just 14 minutes and 16 balls for Pakistan to wrap up the win on the fifth morning as they took Sri Lanka’s final three wickets without any addition to their 212.
Pakistan on Sunday had set a daunting 476-run target and reduced the tourists to 212-7 at the close.
Teenage paceman Naseem Shah — 16 years, 307 days — became the second-youngest bowler to take five wickets in a Test as he bowled an express spell to finish with 5-31.
Pakistan spinner Nasim-ul-Ghani holds the record and was just four days younger when he completed the feat against the West Indies in a 1957-1958 series.
Naseem was aged six when international cricket was suspended in Pakistan following an attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in 2009.
Pakistan played all their home matches in the United Arab Emirates, before improved security allowed them to host limited-over series over the past four years.
The first Test in Rawalpindi marked the return of Test cricket to Pakistan, but it ended in a draw after being spoiled by bad weather.
Pakistan skipper Azhar Ali thanked Sri Lanka for their part in allowing Test cricket to return.
“Special thanks to Sri Lanka from the bottom of our hearts,” Azhar said. “They have given us immense happiness by playing in Pakistan, it was pretty emotional.”
Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne praised Pakistan.
“We dominated the first two days, and then they batted very well and put pressure back on us, and outplayed us. We couldn’t build pressure with the ball, despite taking a lead of 80,” Karunaratne said.
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