IND vs WI Man of the Match 2nd ODI: The Indian all-rounder won his maiden ODI match award in his 40th match.
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During the second ODI of the ongoing India’s tour of West Indies in Port of Spain, India beat West Indies by 2 wickets to gain an unassailable 2-0 lead in this three-match series.
Chasing a 312-run target, India thrived on the back of individual half-centuries by all-rounder Axar Patel (64*), vice-captain Shreyas Iyer (63) and wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson (54).
Last man standing with the team needing 48 runs in five overs, Patel’s maiden ODI half-century saw him hitting three fours and five sixes to power India to their 18th run-chase of 300 or more runs in this format.
Coming in to bat at No. 7 in the 39th over with more than 100 runs remaining to be scored, Patel made the most of a proper batting opportunity to shine. Playing only his second ODI in the last five years, Patel justified his ODI recall on the back of such an impact-generating innings.
IND vs WI Man of the Match 2nd ODI
While India pacer Shardul Thakur was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 7-0-54-3, Patel was part of a three-member spin attack which picked a wicket apiece. Most economical of all the Indian bowlers at the Queen’s Park Oval on Sunday, Patel had dismissed Shamarh Brooks (35) to put an end to a 62-run second-wicket partnership earlier in the day.
Having also grabbed a catch in the penultimate over of the West Indian innings, Patel rightly pinned down West Indies wicket-keeper batter Shai Hope (115) and captain Nicholas Pooran (74) to be declared the Player of the Match for the first time in his 40th ODI.
“It’s very special, to get it in a crucial, series-winning cause is amazing. When I went out, I aimed for 10-11 an over. We thought it could be done as we have IPL experience. We wanted to be calm and keep cover of the rate. This was special as this is my first ODI since 2017, even my first fifty came here,” Patel told ESPN Caribbean during the post-match presentation ceremony.
