Kohli, Pant, Venkatesh and bowlers help India seal T20I series

Men in Blue post a formidable total of 186 before Bhuvneshwar & Co. keep their nerve to restrict WI to 178; explosive knocks from Pooran and Powell go in vain

India overcame a fighting West Indies to record an eight-run victory in the second T20I here on Friday. The close win gave India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match leg.

West Indies made a fist of the 187-run chase, with Nicholas Pooran (62, 41b, 5x4, 3x6) and Rovman Powell (68 n.o., 36b, 4x4, 5x6) going great guns.

Their 100-run third-wicket stand, which came in 60 balls, took West Indies close to the finish line.

The tide turned in India’s favour when Bhuvneshwar Kumar removed Pooran in the 19th over. A top edge sailed into the night sky, allowing Ravi Bishnoi to settle his feet for a catch at mid-wicket.

From here, the visitor needed 28 runs from nine deliveries. Powell kept the contest alive with two big sixes in the last over bowled by Harshal Patel, but it was not enough to sink the home team.

Both Pooran and Powell benefited from some shoddy work in the field. Bishnoi dropped Pooran when he was on 21, while Bhuvneshwar fluffed a skier off his own bowling when Powell was on 38. The small, sporting crowd at the Eden Gardens applauded some stunning strokeplay from Pooran and Powell.

Earlier, India rode on an electric 35-ball 76-run fifth-wicket partnership between Rishabh Pant (52 n.o., 28b, 7x4, 1x6) and Venkatesh Iyer (33, 18b, 4x4, 1x6) to put up a healthy total.