PICS: Suryakumar scintillates as India complete Windies rout

Images from the third Twenty20 International between India and the West Indies, in Kolkata, on Sunday. 

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India turned in another clinical performance to beat the West Indies by 17 runs in the third and final T20 International and complete a 3-0 series sweep at the Eden Gardens, in Kolkata, on Sunday.

After Suryakumar Yadav, who was later named man of the match and series, scored a blazing 31-ball 65 that saw the hosts finish with an imposing 184 for 5, their bowlers did well to restrict the visitors to 167 for 9.

Deepak Chahar limped off the field after dismissing both the West Indies openers, unable to complete the third over due to a hamstring injury, but Harshal Patel (3/22), Venkatesh Iyer (2/23 from 2.1 overs) and Shardul Thakur (2/33) responded impressively to quell the West Indies’ challenge.

Wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran continued his fine form, slamming a third successive fifty (61 off 47 balls; 8x4, 1x6) but it was not enough.

For Rohit, it was his third successive clean sweep as full-time skipper, having earlier defeated New Zealand (0-3) in T20Is and the West Indies (0-3) in ODIs.

Sunday’s victory also matched India’s 2020 record of nine successive wins on the trot.

For the West Indies, this was their third successive bilateral series defeats away from home -- 0-2 to New Zealand in 2020-21 and 0-3 to Pakistan 2021-22 -- as they capped a forgettable India sojourn, losing six matches on the trot, including three in the ODI leg.

Though debutant pacer Avesh Khan (4-0-42-0) struggled with his line,  Chahar made early inroads for India early on removing Kayle Mayers (6) and Shai Hope (8) in the space of 11 deliveries inside the powerplay.

Chahar swung the ball both ways and also smartly changed his pace to deceive the Windies openers, his first breakthrough coming with the fifth delivery, after India reviewed it successfully, to dismiss Mayers.

In his next over, he took the outside edge of Hope with a peach of an outswinger and looked on fire before he sustained the injury and limped off the field without completing the over.

In his absence, Harshal stepped up, displaying his brilliant cricketing mind as he executed his slower ones to perfection to be the wrecker-in-chief.

Earlier, Suryakumar was well-supported by Venkatesh Iyer in a 91-run partnership off 37 balls for the fifth wicket as the two went on the rampage after a top order collapse that saw India reduced to 94 for 4 by the 14th over.

Suryakumar smashed seven sixes and a boundary in an exceptional display of clean-hitting before getting out for a 31-ball 65 off the final delivery of the innings as India scored 86 runs in the last five overs.

Pace bowling all-rounder Iyer was unbeaten on a brisk 35, which included 4 fours and 2 sixes, off 19 balls.

It was a new-look Indian batting order on display, with Ishan Kishan opening the innings along with Ruturaj Gaikwad, while Iyer batted at No 3, and skipper Rohit Sharma dropped down at No 4.

Having got a chance to play after making a debut in the Sri Lanka series in July last year, Maharashtra 'run machine' Ruturaj impressed during his short stay at the crease and timed the ball to perfection before getting out for 4 while playing out of his comfort zone in the third over, off the bowling of Jason Holder.

The most expensive buy at the IPL 2022 mega auction Ishan, who had forgettable outings in the first two T20Is, started with a flourish against Romario Shepherd with three boundaries off four balls in the fourth over. 

But having put on a 50-plus stand, off just 32 balls, he and Shreyas Iyer failed to convert their starts, and were out in the space of seven deliveries.

At the end of powerplay overs, India were 43 for 1.

The 53-run stand for the second wicket between Shreyas and Ishan ended in the ninth over as Hayden Walsh Jr sent Shreyas (25) back to the pavilion.

This brought Rohit to the middle.

Kishan (34) was then bowled by Roston Chase in the next over and India were reduced to 66 for 3 in the 10th over.

Rohit and Suryakumar Yadav put on 27 runs for the fourth wicket before their partnership was broken by Dominic Drakes, who bowled Rohit (7) in the 14th over.

Venkatesh Iyer then joined Suryakumar in the middle and the duo gave the innings momentum with some big-hitting.

The Windies spin duo of Hayden Walsh Junior (4-0-30-1) and Roston Chase (4-0-23-1) bowled brilliantly in the middle overs.

• Complete coverage: West Indies Tour of India