A week before Dwayne Bravo and Dhoni helped CSK to win CLT20 tournament. Today they stood as captains of their teams in the first match of the 5-ODI series in India. Rain was predicted, and the Kochi spectators got marooned by the fourth highest score of WI vs India, and heartbroken by the second biggest defeat of India vs West Indies, which is ironically a very weak time by ICC standing as compared to the No. 1 status of the home team.
2014 West Indies in India: Fixture and Results
Indian team takes pride in batting strength. Probably that is why Dhoni decided to field, thinking of chasing any total as Indian bowlers have been in the habit of creating new records of giving away runs, specially in the death overs. Otherwise also the team selection and the preparation before the series has clearly indicated that BCCI and Indian team was not taking the West Indies team seriously.
Match Statistics
- 321 runs is the 4th highest score of WI vs Ind.
124 runs win is their 2nd biggest win vs India after 135 runs win that came in 2002.
165 run partnership between Samuels and Ramdin is the joint biggest for 4th wicket between both the teams.
Samuels scored his 6th ODI century, second vs India.
WI won 60th ODI in 115th match against India.
WI Score 321/6
Lacking second opener, the captain Bravo led from the front and opened the inning. He perished soon scoring 17 runs, but the daring act was enough to inspire others. Dwayne Smith (46), Darren bravo (28) did not let the run rate fall below 5 runs. Then came Samuels and added the biggest 4th wicket partnership (65 runs) of West Indies vs India in just 23 overs taking the match away from India. Ramdin scored 61 runs, while Samuels remained unbeaten on 126 runs with 11 boundaries and 4 sixes. Pollard (2), Russell (1) misfired but it did not matter as Sammy (unbeaten 10 runs) and Samuels milked 15 runs in the last over to take West Indies to 321/6 in 50 overs.
While Bhuvneswar Kumar 0/38 in 10 overs was exceptional, Mohit Sharma (0/61), Amit Mishra (1/72), Shami (4/66), Jadeja (1/58) could not throw any challenge.
India Fold for 197 runs
Jadeja (unbeaten 33 runs) and Shami (19 runs) added 42 runs for the 10th wicket and saved India from losing by a record margin against West Indies. When they joined Indians had scored 155/9. Despite a 49 runs opening wicket partnership middle order and lower order failed to stay on wicket. Rahane (24) was the first to go in 9th over, followed by Kohli (2), Rayudu (13), Raina (0) and Dhoni (8). Opener Dhawan (68) was fighting a lone battle and fell as 6th wicket in 29th over. After that it was just a formality about how long and how many runs for defeat. In 41 overs Indians were bowled out for 197 runs.
Almost all the bowlers, except the opening pair of Rampaul (2/48) and Taylor (1/50) were economic. All hunted as a pack. Dwayne Bravo had 2/28, Russell 1/21, Sammy 1/23 and Samuels 2/10. Their key bowler Benn needed to bowl only 5 overs (0/16), such was their dominance.
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