IND vs WI 2nd ODI: India suffered its first loss to West Indies in seven years in the second ODI of the three-match series on Saturday. The hosts won the match by 4 wickets, with Nicholas Pooran scoring an unbeaten 89.
India was without its two star batsmen, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who were rested for the match. In their absence, the Indian batting lineup struggled, managing just 237 runs.
Shikhar Dhawan top-scored for India with 70, but he was the only batsman to reach fifty. The rest of the Indian batsmen failed to build on their starts, and the team was bowled out in 49 overs.
West Indies’ chase got off to a shaky start, but Pooran and Shai Hope put on a 100-run partnership to steady the ship. Pooran then took charge of the innings, hitting 11 fours and 2 sixes in his unbeaten knock.
With Pooran’s help, West Indies reached the target with 15 balls to spare. The loss is a setback for India, who were looking to build on their victory in the first ODI. The team will now need to win the third and final ODI to avoid a series defeat.
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The absence of Rohit and Kohli was a big blow to India, but the team’s other batsmen need to step up if they want to win the World Cup at home next year.
The decision to rest Rohit and Kohli has been met with mixed reactions. Some fans have criticized the decision, saying that it is a missed opportunity to give the two batsmen some much-needed game time. Others have defended the decision, saying that it is important to manage the workload of the two players.
Only time will tell whether the decision to rest Rohit and Kohli was the right one. However, one thing is for sure: India will need to be at its best if it wants to win the third ODI and avoid a series defeat.