Despite playing with a young side, the Shikhar Dhawan-led Indian cricket team dominated West Indies in a three-match ODI series and achieved a clean sweep. Performances from the likes of Shubman Gill, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj really stood out as head coach Rahul Dravid looked a happy man after the series win. In the third ODI, Gill was unlucky to miss out on a maiden century but India rode on his sublime 98 to outclass West Indies by 119 runs (D/L method). In a rain-affected final ODI, India scored 225 for 3 in 36 overs, courtesy Gill's career-best knock and another half-century from skipper Shikhar Dhawan (58 off 74 balls).
The revised DLS target of 257 from 35 overs was a tricky one and Mohammed Siraj's (2/14 in 3 overs) near-perfect first over with the new ball set the tone as West Indies could finally manage only 137 in 26 overs.
After the win, the Indian dressing room looked a happy space as the team got together to commemorate the win. "It was young team. A lot of the guys who played in England were not playing. But the way you guys responded, there were a couple of high pressure games and we got on the right side of those. Great signs. Well done Shikhar, very well led skip," Rahul Dravid, India head coach, said in a video posted on BCCI social media accounts.
Then, Shikhar Dhawan also lauded the effort and at the end, led a fun celebration. "When I say 'who are we?' you will all say champions," he said. The whole squad then broke into laughter.
The third game posed a different challenge as rain-break could have caused a decisive shift in momentum but the stylish Gill and the talented Shreyas Iyer (44 off 34 balls) changed the complexion of the game post rain-break.
India were 115 for 1 in 24 overs when there was the first stoppage but once the play resumed, visitors suddenly upped the ante, smashing 110 runs in the next 12 overs as Gill looked good for his maiden ton, which was not to be.
However, Gill would have little complaints having scored 205 runs in three games with scores of 64, 43 and 98 not out.
With PTI inputs