An imperious, undefeated 111 by Indian skipper Rohit Sharma set the platform for an easy win for India in the second T20I against the West Indies at Lucknow.
Sharma added 123 for the first wicket with opening partner Shikhar Dhawan (43 off 41 balls, three fours) in 14 overs, and batted through to the end of the innings in an unbroken third-wicket stand of 62 with KL Rahul.
Rahul added salt into the Windies wounds, slamming 26 off 14 balls (two fours, one six, S/R 185.71) to help his side finish on 195-2 off their 20 overs.
Sharma’s fourth T20I century came off just 61 balls, his 111 being made up of eight fours and seven sixes (S/R 181.96).
Oshane Thomas was the most economical of the Windies bowlers, his four overs costing just 27 runs (econ 6.75), while Khary Pierre (1-49) and Fabian Allen (1-33) picked up the only two wickets to fall.
Shimron Hetmyer (15 off 14) and Darren Bravo (23 off 18) looked to be up for the challenge in the first six overs, but both were back in the hut with the score shy of 50, and a steady flow of wickets ensured that the West Indies were never in with a shout in the match. The only other West Indian to reach 20 was No 9 Keemo Paul, who slammed 20 runs off 21 balls, including two sixes, as the West Indies closed on 124-9 from their 20 overs.
India’s comfortable 71-run winning margin came off the back of some terrific Indian bowling, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar outstanding to concede just 12 runs off his four overs (econ 3.00), as well as picking up two wickets. Jasprit Bumrah (2-20) Khaleel Ahmed (2-30) and Kuldeep Yadav (2-32) picked up the other wickets to fall, along with a first hit to run out Allen off the first ball he faced.
Sharma also held three catches in the field to put the seal on a terrific match-winning performance that earned him the Player of the Match award.
Photo: Tharaka Basnayaka/NurPhoto via Getty Images
