India vs West Indies Man of the Match: The Indian batter won his maiden match award in international cricket tonight.
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During the third ODI of the ongoing India’s tour of West Indies in Port of Spain, India beat West Indies by 119 runs (DLS Method) to register a 3-0 series whitewash.
Chasing a 257-run target in a 35-over rain-affected match, all West Indies could manage was 137 in 26 overs as their strategy of wanting to seal a challenging run-chase in a dead-rubber match resulted in them losing wickets at regular intervals.
An innings comprising of four ducks and seven single-digit individual scores saw captain Nicholas Pooran (42) and batter Brandon King (42) top-scoring in a losing cause.
Having put an end to a prospering 47-run third-wicket partnership between vice-captain Shai Hope (22) and King by dismissing the former, India spinner Yuzvendra Chahal picked his first wicket to follow it with three lower-order scalps.
While figures of 4-0-17-4 made Chahal the pick of the Indian bowlers at the Queen’s Park Oval on Wednesday, fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur also chipped in with a couple of wickets each. Sharing the new ball with Deepak Hooda, Siraj managed to draw first blood in the form of Kyle Mayers (0) and Shamarh Brooks (0) in his first over itself.
India vs West Indies Man of the Match today
India captain Shikhar Dhawan (58) winning the toss and deciding to bat first earlier in the day was followed by a 113-run opening partnership with Shubman Gill (98*). A blooming Indian innings was interrupted twice by rain to eventually cut-off their innings at 225/3 in 36 overs.
Apart from denying chances to the Indian middle-order, weather also played spoilsport to not allow Gill reach a maiden international century. Having become the 17th batter to remain unbeaten on 98 in an ODI innings, Gill’s second ODI half-century was compensated with a maiden match award at the highest level.
“It was bittersweet. I was expecting to get to a hundred. It was not under my control as it rained but I was happy with my innings. I was disappointed with how I got out in the first two matches. After the [first] rain break, we let our instincts take over,” Gill told ESPN Caribbean during the post-match presentation ceremony.
