Within 24 hours of producing a batting master-class on a featherbed, the Indian batters, save Suryakumar Yadav's scratchy yet effective 61 off 45 balls, posted a sub-par score of 165 for nine after opting to bat on a used track that had become slower.
On a pitch where stroke-making wasn't an easy proposition, Surya had to curb his flair a bit but still had enough firepower in his arsenal to hit four fours and three sixes during his knock. In reply, India's nemesis Nicholas Pooran (47 not out off 35 balls) looked way more fluent but was overshadowed by opener King as they added 107 runs for the second wicket to put West Indies on course despite three weather related interruptions.
On same track where the Caribbean bowlers put the Indian batters under tight leash, the bowling attack looked horribly out of depth barring Kuldeep Yadav (0/18), who delivered yet another steady performance. Pooran and King cleverly decided to play out Kuldeep's spell and attacked others with disdain. Yuzvendra Chahal (0/51 in 4 overs) had a forgettable day in office
Once the West Indies got 60 in the powerplay, there was no looking back as they maintained the tempo with most of the Indian bowlers pitching it short giving Pooran ample time to tonk them in the arc between the long-on and cow corner. Between Pooran and King, they hit 10 sixes with half a dozen being smashed by the opener.
It was the batting that became India's undoing as they never got the desired momentum during the middle as well as end overs. Even Surya was a bit subdued by his own lofty standards because the slowness didn't allow him to play his natural game. It was a used track where the ball started gripping from the very first over bowled by left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein (2/24 in 4 overs), who made an impact against the Indian batters throughout the series.
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