If Chris Gayle is fit and match-ready, it presents a conundrum of sorts for West Indies.
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If the West Indies can now sweep the series on Sunday, they would move above India and into second place on the International Cricket Council’s T20 rankings.
“Now just little tweaks and little stuff to go into the actual infrastructure continuing what is already there, I can see a big future ahead not only for India v West Indies in America but for American cricket itself”.
“This is a good journey not only for India but also West Indies, they are closer from here”. The first T20I of the series saw two centuries each from the sides.
There was no doubt that it was the batsmen, who dominated. It narrowed down to India needing two off the last ball. The fact that the first over of the match from Mohammed Shami went for 17, was clearly a sign of indication to come.
“I think the Indian Test team is shaping up well”. Lewis had a forgettable debut against Afghanistan at the ICC World T20 2016.
But call it fate or destiny, a freak injury to Mandeep Singh after the toss meant Rahul was called up to the RCB playing XI yet again, and he blasted his way to his first half-century in the Indian Premier League.
Lewis brought up his first worldwide T20 century in the 16th over in just 48 balls which included 9 sixes at a strike rate of 208.
Charles’ 33-ball knock was laced with six boundaries and seven massive sixes and his partnership with Lewis produced 126 runs. 3, 4 and 5 respectively.
“West Indies are extraordinary when it comes to the shortest format of the game”.
But credit has to be given to Jasprit Bumrah for picking up a couple of wickets in an over.
Rahul (110) was at the non strikers end. An absesnce of a super sopper also did not help the causes.
“We did most things right”.
Ajinkya Rahane (4*) and Rohit Sharma (10*) were at the crease when rain stopped the proceedings of the game. “But we always had full confidence in defending our total”, the strapping West Indian said.
West Indies all-out for 143 runs. Skipper Carlos Brathwaite, 18 off 10 balls, used his long handle to score some quick runs in the end before they were all out with two balls to spare.
After the wicket of Sharma, Dhoni promoted him up the order to finish the job, and he did so very much until the last ball miss. Amit Mishra or Umesh Yadav might prove better with the ball at a small Central Broward Regional Park for Dhoni. But that is when the batsmen shifted gears and started scoring according to the required run rate. Unlike the first match, West Indies found it tough to get going.
Later, Indian continued to cash in on the West Indies’ lack of discipline and resoluteness.
Brathwaite has gotten off to a wonderful start as captain of the West Indies side. The first match was like a showstopper which was really the battle of the summer between these two teams. “That’s a call that the match officials have to make”.
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The hundred came in only Lewis’s second game at this level, after making his debut last March against Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup in India.
