India thumped West Indies by seven wickets in the third T20 international here on Tuesday to complete a 3-0 rout of the home side.
Batting first, West Indies scored 146/6, riding on Kieron Pollard’s 58 off 45 balls and Rovman Powell’s 32 not out off 20 balls.
In reply, India chased in 19.1 overs with Rishabh Pant scoring 65 not out off 42 balls. Skipper Virat Kohli too dazzled with the bat, making a 45-ball 59.
Earlier, Deepak (3-1-4-3) made full use of his only opportunity in this tour by taking three wickets in his first two overs to leaving West Indies tottering at 14/3. He got the ball to swing both ways as he removed pinch-hitter Sunil Narine (2), Evin Lewis (10) and Shimron Hetmyer (1).
However, Pollard counter-attacked with great gusto, hitting as many as half a dozen sixes in his 45-ball-58 -- his first half-century for the West Indies in seven years.
Along with Nicholas Pooran (17), Pollard added 67 for the fourth wicket as the Caribbeans looked to have recovered from their initial slump.
Navdeep Saini (2/34 in 4 overs), who had trapped Pollard leg-before with a dipping full-toss in the first game, bowled a slower delivery that pegged back the middle stump breaching through his bat and pad. West Indies were once again reeling at 105/5 before Deepak’s younger cousin Rahul (1/27 in 3 overs) got his maiden wicket in the form rival skipper Carlos Brathwaite.
However, Powell smashed his way to an unbeaten 32 off 20 balls to prop up the Windies total.
