ICC World Cup 2015, Highlights: MS Dhoni Anchors Chase as India Scrape Past West Indies to Ensure Quarters Berth
MS Dhoni helped India continue their winning run and booked a place in the quarter-finals of the ICC World Cup with a nervy 4-wicket win over the West Indies. Here are the highlights from this Pool B match between two teams at WACA, Perth.
India continued their winning run and booked a place in the quarter-finals of the ICC World Cup with a nervy 4-wicket win over the West Indies. Chasing a tricky 183, Team India ran into heavy weather as the West Indies generated pace and bounce on a helpful WACA track. Virat Kohli played a silken 33 but it was left to the skipper MS Dhoni to take India across the line. He, as usually, knit small partnerships with the lower order and fended off the Windies attack with an unbeaten 45.
West Indies won the toss and elected to bat but India took advantage of a lively Perth track to bowl them out for a paltry 182. The Indian pacers ruled the roost and ripped apart the West Indian top order. Mohammad Shami and Umesh Yadav generated a lot of pace while the West Indies batsmen added to the agony by playing some bad shots. Indian fielding was ragged as they drop three chances to help the Windies go past 150. Here are all the highlights from the match: (Scorecard | Points Table)
7:13 PM (IST): That' it! India continue their unbeaten run! MS Dhoni anchors the chase brilliantly, yet again!
7:11 PM (IST): FOUR! Short and wide, Dhoni smashes it through the covers. India need 3 more.
7:07 PM (IST): India need 10 more runs to win. Dhoni and Ashwin anchoring the chase watchfully.
7:01PM (IST): Dhoni and Ashwin churning the singles as India close in on the Windies total. Require 17 more runs now.
6:55 PM (IST): 28 more runs needed now. Dhoni and Ashwin at the crease. Are the Windies shoulders drooping a bit?
6:42 PM (IST): SIX! Short and Dhoni whacks it over third-man. Big release of pressure that. Dhoni has been dealing in singles right now. First opportunity to open his arms and he has deposited that into the stands.
6:40 PM (IST): This is shaping up to be a nail-biter. First time in this tournament, India have been stretched and West Indies have a good chance to dent their confidence.
6:34 PM (IST): WICKET! Another one falls to the short ball. Jadeja now miscues a hook straight to Samuels at fine leg. India 135/6 after 30 overs.
6:27 PM (IST): 51 more runs needed from India with Dhoni and Jadeja at the crease. Still a tough chase. India needs Dhoni to stay till the end. India 132/5 after 29 overs.
6:21 PM (IST): FOUR! Jadeja rocks back and dispatches the short delivery over wide long on. Good shot that! Every run counts for India now. India 128/5 after 28 overs.
6:16 PM (IST): FOUR! Pitched up and wide from Smith. Jadeja throws the kitchen sink at it. The balls goes past the cover boundary.
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6:07 PM (IST): This is a tough chase for India now. Dhoni has to bat through now. West Indies have set the alarm bells ringing. It's not an easy track to bat on and the Indian lower order will find it difficult to survive.
6:02 PM (IST): WICKET! Poor cricket from Raina. Slashes outside off stump and is caught behind off Dwayne Smith! India 107/5 after 23 overs.
5:58 PM (IST): 100-up for India. Dhoni and Raina being very watchful. 80 more runs needed now. India need these two to stay in and West Indies need a wicket, now.
5:55 PM (IST): Drop? No, fell short. Raina mistimes a pull and it falls just short of Kemar Roach.
5:44 PM (IST): FOUR! Cracking straight drive from Raina. Roach pitches it up and Raina presents the full face of his bat to it. This is familiar territory for Raina and Dhoni. They have taken India over the finish line a lot of times. They have the experience and here all they need to do is spend some time in the middle.
5:38 PM (IST): The Rahane dismissal was a tricky one. There was a small spike in the sniko but did the bat brush the pad? Doesn't matter,. he's gone. It's over to Dhoni and Raina now. India 84/4 after 18.1 overs.
5:32 PM (IST): Appeal, umpire gives that OUT but Rahane has asked for the review. Did the ball take the edge? Did the bat brush the pad? Oh! That's OUT! Rahane is walking back!
5:26 PM (IST): Testing time for India. Their middle order will be stretched today. West Indies is digging the ball in and the ball is whizzing past. Rahane has to be the key man for India here. Raina needs to stick around and build a partnership. India 70/3 after 17 overs.
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 5:19 PM (IST): What a wicket that was! Kohli was livid with himself after playing the shot. Suresh Raina has joined Rahane in the middle and suddenly a few nervous faces amongst the Indian fans. This chase just got tricky!
5:16 PM (IST): WICKET! And the big one. Virat Kohli (33) pulls a short delivery from Russell straight to Marlon Samuels at long leg. India 63/3 after 15 overs.
5:11 PM (IST): FOUR! Short from Russell, Rahane rocks back and pulls him to the square leg boundary.
5:06 PM (IST): Maiden over from Roach but Kohli and Rahane look comfortable in the middle. India 56/2 after 14 overs.
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4:57 PM (IST): FOUR! Back to back boundaries for Kohli. It's a crime to bowl Kohli on his legs. Flicks through wide mid on for not one, but two boundaries.
4:55 PM (IST): Wrapped on the pads. Big shout from Taylor as the darts back into Kohli and hits his back leg. Too high to be given out!
4:50 PM (IST): FOUR! Insult to injury. Down the leg side and Kohli latches on to it, sends the ball screaming to the mid-wicket boundary. India 41/2 after 10 overs.
4:48 PM (IST): Review! Roach goes past Kohli's edge. Appeal from West Indies, umpire says no and so does the Sniko!
4:43 PM (IST): FOUR! Vintage Virat. Over pitched from Taylor and Kohli pushes it past mid on for a boundary.
4: 39 PM (IST): Jerome Taylor has picked up his 11th wicket of the World Cup and is now the second highest wicket-taker of this World Cup.
4:33 PM (IST): WICKET! Taylor again. Pitches it up and finds Rohit Sharma's edge. Ramdin wouldn't drop those. India 20/2 after 7 overs. Game on!
4:30 PM (IST): FOUR! Rohit Sharma gets to the pitch of the ball and plays a delightful cover drive. Wasn't a bad ball, just a quality shot from Sharma.
4:27 PM (IST): Good over from Taylor. There's definite swing out there and under lights, Taylor is getting the ball to move. Could be a tough chase for India.
4:24 PM (IST): WICKET! Dhawan gone. Taylor comes round the wicket and induces an edge from the left-hander. Easy catch for Sammy at second slip. India 11/1 after 4.1 overs.
4:19 PM (IST): India looking to push the singles and keep the scoreboard moving. Holder is bowling well but just feel West Indies might have missed a trick by not handing the new ball to Roach. His pace could have roughed up the Indians. India 11/0 after 4 overs.
4:15 PM (IST): FOUR! Back of a length from Taylor. Dhawan gets on top of the bounce and cuts it to the point boundary.
4:10 PM (IST): Jason Holder to share the new ball with Jerome Taylor. A bit surprising not to see Kemar Roach take it. India 3/0 after 2 overs.
4:04 PM (IST): Indian innings underway. Chasing 183 can be tricky. Under lights, the pitch might spice up a touch and West Indies have Roach and Taylor in their ranks. India, though, would like to play normal cricket and not try anything fancy.
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3:20 PM (IST): That it! Jason Holder gets out for 57. Trying to hit Jadeja out of the park, holes out to Kohli at long off. West Indies 182 all out in 44.2 overs.
3:15 PM (IST): FOUR! Holder gives himself room and steers it past point for a boundary.
3:13 PM (IST): WICKET! Nine down. Yadav breaks the partnership. Taylor scoops a mistimed pull back to the bowler. West Indies 175/9 after 43 overs.
3:10 PM (IST): FIFTY for Jason Holder! Captain's knock from the tall West Indian.
3:06 PM (IST): This is a good partnership for the West Indies - have already added 46 runs for the ninth wicket. West Indies 172/8 after 42 overs.
3:02 PM (IST): Another drop! This time Rohit Sharma drops Taylor. India have been really sloppy today dropping a few skiers.
3:01 PM (IST): FOUR! Just over Raina at mid off. Holder lofts Yadav, Raina leaps full length, still can't make it!
2:56 PM (IST): SIX! Holder dances down the track and lofts Ashwin into the crowd over long off. Holder making a big effort to put a respectable score on the board.
2:54 PM (IST): 150 up for the West Indies. Jason Holder holding fort for them. West Indies 151/8 after 39 overs.
2:48 PM (IST): FOUR and SIX! Power-play on. Holder takes the attack to Shami. First he swats Shami over mid wicket for a four and now hits one straight back over his head.
2:45 PM (IST): SIX! Holder comes down the track and lofts Jadeja over long-off.
2:41 PM (IST): WICKET! Extra bounce for Shami and Sammy couldn't handle it, edged it behind to Dhoni. Sammy walks back for 26 while Shami gets his 3rd wicket. West Indies 124/8 after 35.4 overs.
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2:31 PM (IST): Holder and Sammy trying to keep the singles moving, trying to bat out their quota of overs. 120/7 after 35 overs.
2:24 PM (IST): FOUR! That will bring the Windies fans some joy. Mohit Sharma drifts on to the pads and Holder flicks him through mid-wicket for a boundary.
2:14 PM (IST): India tightening the noose on West Indies. Jadeja has settled into a nice rhythm and keeping one end tight. West Indies 109/7 after 31 overs.
2:03 PM (IST): Umesh Yadav is back into the attack. Dhoni going for the kill here. Holder and Sammy looking for quick runs and was trying to take on the spinners. 100 up for the West Indies after 28 overs.
2:00 PM (IST): WICKET! Russell goes for the big one off Jadeja's first ball, skies it to long-off and Kohli pouches it safely. West Indies in tatters, 88/7 after 25 overs.
1:53 PM (IST): Dropped! Sammy skies one Mohit Sharma and Jadeja drops a sitter. Would you believe it! West Indies 84/6 after 23 overs.
1: 49 PM (IST): Way back in 1991-92, West Indies and India played a low-scoring tie here at the same venue. India batted first and got shot down for 126. West Indies also encountered same fate and were bowled out for 126 as well, resulting in a tie!
1:45 PM (IST): WICKET! Top edge from Carter and Ashwin gets his first wicket of the game. Trying to sweep against the turn, Carter couldn't quite get on top of the bounce and ended top edging it to Shami at fine leg. West Indies 72/6 after 22 overs.
1:41 PM (IST): Another tidy over from Mohit Sharma, in fact another maiden from him. India have kept up the pressure and the West Indies is feeling the strangle hold. West Indies 71/5 after 21 overs.
1:37 PM (IST): 4-1-9-1 Those are Mohit Sharma's figures till now. He has kept the pressure up on the West Indies after the initial burst from Shami and Yadav.
1:28 PM (IST): WICKET! Another bouncer and another wicket. Lendl Simmons hooks one from Mohit Sharma and it goes straight to Umesh Yadav at long leg. West Indies 67/5 after 18.1 overs.
1:26 PM (IST): FOUR! Short ball from Ashwin and cut away by Carter but funny stuff happening on the field. MS Dhoni has removed his wicket-keeping pads and is now keeping with just shin guards on. He actually gave his pads to the short leg fielder Rahane.
1:25 PM (IST): Slip, forward short leg - MS Dhoni is on the attack.
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1:16 PM (IST): FOUR! Carter sweeps Ashwin in front of square leg. Cracking shot that considering the ball was pitched outside the off-stump.
1:09 PM (IST): Drinks come on. India have dominated the proceedings at Perth. West Indies trying to break the shackles but India right on the money with both their bowling and fielding. West Indies 54/4 after 15 overs.
1:00 PM (IST): FOUR! Short and wide from Mohit Sharma and Carter slams it through cover-point for a boundary. Takes the pressure off a bit. West Indies need a partnership now.
12:56 PM (IST): India have ripped through the Windies top-order. They came out with a plan - bowled a tight line and have used the short ball to brilliant effect. MS Dhoni has been spot on with his fields and Shami and Yadav have really stepped it up.
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12:48 PM (IST): Another ONE! Ramdin castled first ball. Yadav pitches it up, Ramdin goes for the expansive drive and drags it on the stumps. West Indies 35/4 after 9.1 overs.
12:45 PM (IST): WICKET! Shami does it again! Chris Gayle departs for 21 after surviving three tough chances. Shami digs it in short and Gayle top edges it to deep mid-wicket to Mohit Sharma. Gayle will be mighty disappointed with that shot. Shami had softened him up with a few short stuff but Gayle played into India's trap there.
12:41 PM (IST): FOUR! Stand and deliver - Gayle has suddenly come to life after the Samuels run-out.
12:38 PM (IST): FOUR! SIX! Chris Gayle has woken up. Short from Yadav and Gayle whacks it over mid wicket. Two tough chances gone down, will India repent them?
12:35 PM (IST): WICKET! Samuels Run-out. Absolute mayhem. Chris Gayle top edges a pull that falls short of Mohit Sharma. He throws it to Kohli at the non-strikers end who runs Marlon Samuels out. West Indies 15/2 after 7.2 overs.
12:31 PM (IST): Dropped! Gayle edges on to third man. Umesh Yadav runs around, makes a superb effort but spills it. Top effort but will it hurt India?
12:27 PM (IST): This is top class pace bowling from India! No respite for West Indies at all. Even Gayle is stunned! Look at that stare from him!
12:20 PM (IST): WICKET! Was on the cards. Dwayne Smith departs trying to cut Shami. The ball had a bit more bounce and gets a solid edge to MS Dhoni. West Indies 8/1 after 5 overs.
12:18 PM (IST): This is terrific stuff from the Indian opening duo. Using the bounce of the track, bowling the correct lengths and troubling both Gayle and Smith.
12:14 PM (IST): Pace, bounce, beaten! Yadav following up Shami's fabulous over with some fire! Another maiden. West Indies 6/0 after 4 overs.
12:11 PM (IST): Maiden over! 143.9 km/h - serious pace from Shami. Just a touch short in length but beating Smith with sheer pace!
12:06 PM (IST): Umesh Yadav steaming in here. Smith looks in a bit of discomfort. First mistimes a pull and then wafts at a wide one. Beaten by pace on both occasions. West Indies 6/0 after 2 overs.
12:04 PM (IST): Big appeal from India. Shami slides the ball across Chris Gayle, the batsman was beaten but no edge! Would have been a dream start for India.
12: 03 PM (IST): FOUR! Width on offer from Shami and Smith cuts it to the point boundary.
12:02 PM (IST): Good start from Md. Shami here. Hurrying Smith with his pace.
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11:48 AM (IST): Shane Warne thinks there would be extra bounce on the track, as expected but interestingly he feels that the pitch might offer some turn as well. Good for India and Ashwin then!
11:43 AM (IST): Jason Holder said it looks like a good track and West Indies want to put the runs on the board. Dhoni on the other hand isn't disappointed chasing because he thinks the WACA track won't change much.
11:40 AM (IST): West Indies XI - Dwayne Smith, Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels, Denesh Ramdin (WK), Lendl Simmons, Jonathan Carter, Darren Sammy, Andre Russell, Jason Holder (Capt), Kemar Roach, Jerom Taylor
11:35 AM (IST): India's playing XI - Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni (Capt/wk), Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Mohit Sharma,Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav
11:30 AM (IST): Toss time! West Indies have won the toss and Jason Holder opts to bat first. One change each for both sides - Kemar Roach comes in for Suleiman Benn while fit-again Md. Shami replaces Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the Indian side.
11:25 AM (IST): Here we go! Perth is all set for India's clash with West Indies. The toss is up in a few moments. MS Dhoni-led India are on a roll and are unbeaten in the World Cup so far. Can West Indies halt their march?
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(India can celebrate Holi, we'll celebrate a win: Sammy)
India have been sensational so far. Wins against Pakistan, South Africa and UAE have been more and more comprehensive, and if the trend continues, West Indies can have a long day on the field. The batting is firing on all cylinders but what is heartening to fans - bleeding blue in the stands by the thousands - is that bowling and fielding too has been quite electric. Not known as the main strengths of the side, the performance on the field has indeed added tooth to the thrust. (Also read: MS Dhoni pleased with India's all-round dominance)
The thrust now has all the makings of becoming a thunder. After all, India have played against West Indies extensively in the recent past. Both teams know each other quite comprehensively, with India enjoying bulk of the success.
Factoids:
India have a 4-3 advantage in World Cup duels against West Indies.
India have won three of their last five ODIs. West Indies have lost three of their last five ODIs.
West Indies have won 60 of their 115 overall ODIs against India (52).
The last - and only time- India played West Indies in Perth, the match ended tied. Both teams scored 126 (1991).
Expect eyes to be firmly on India's batting with Kohli grabbing maximum eyeballs. While he has scored 186 from three matches so far, he has made more headlines for his wagging tongue than his swinging blade. (Watch: Gavaskar blames pressure but Laxman demands maturity from Kohli | Read: Waugh says Kohli must concentrate on career | Ashwin demands privacy for his team)
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Do not count West Indies out of the contest though. "We have match winners and need to test India with fast bowling," legendary Windies cricketer Brian Lara told NDTV on the eve of the match. "Gayle can hit big on his day. He did in the match vs Zimbabwe and I am backing him to do the same again." (Watch full interview here)
While Lara may be confident of Gayle, recent statistics don't evoke much confidence.
Factoids:
Gayle hasn't scored more than 50 in the last 10 ODIs vs India.
Gayle's last century against India came in 2006.
Chris Gayle has hit 17 sixes in this tournament already; he needs to hit two more to overtake Matthew Hayden (18 in 2007) for most sixes in a Cricket World Cup.
Former India cricketer VVS Laxman believes using spin early can go a long way in taming the Jamaican. "He would be under pressure early on and it won't be a bad idea to bring on Ravichandran Ashwin," Laxman told NDTV. (Read: Ashwin vs Gayle: A regal battle awaits)
Forgetting the likes of Darren Sammy and Jerome Taylor on a quick WACA wicket can be a mistake too. Windies are banking on pace to carry them forward with captain Jason Holder already saying that he has learnt a lot from Dhoni and will use it against India. (Read more here)