India defeated West Indies by 119 runs in the third One-Day International (ODI) on July 27 at Port of Spain, completing a 3-0 sweep. This is India’s first clean sweep over the Windies under the format and their second straight clean sweep of the opposition overall.
Pacer Mohammed Siraj was on fire with the new ball from the start, taking the vital wickets of Kyle Mayers and Shamarh Brooks in the space of just three deliveries in his first over. Mayers was ejected with a ball that sailed back into the left-hander, flying straight through the gate to the middle stump.
Brooks, on the other hand, swung at a full and straight ball line across the line. As a consequence, he missed it and was out leg-before-wicket (LBW). Both were fired for being a duck. India got off to a fast start, with the Windies losing two wickets for 0 runs in 1.3 overs.
Shikhar Dhawan, India’s captain, won the toss and chose to bat first. The opening combination of Dhawan and Shubman Gill performed well once again for the Men in Blue, adding 113 runs for the first wicket. Dhawan went out for 58 runs off 74 balls, while Shreyas Iyer scored 44 runs off 34 balls at number three.
However, India’s highest scorer, Gill, shone with an undefeated 98 runs in as many balls, leading the team to a total of 225 in 36 overs. Due to the rain, the number of overs was reduced. West Indies had to chase a revised 257-run goal in 35 overs. With an already difficult chase ahead of them, they got off to a terrible start, losing their top three batters in the first ten overs.
The hosts’ captain, Nicholas Pooran, and Brandon King both scored 42 runs, but no other players contributed much. Yuzvendra Chahal shone with the ball, taking four wickets for 17 runs in four overs. West Indies were dismissed for 137 runs in 26 overs. Gill was named Player of the Match and Player of the Series.
