India won the three-match T20I series 3-0 against West Indies as the Men in Blue outclassed Windies by seven wickets in the third T20I here at the Providence Stadium on Tuesday.
Chasing 147, India lost its opener Shikhar Dhawan (3) in the second over of the innings as he was sent back to the pavilion by Oshane Thomas. Soon after, KL Rahul was also sent back to the pavilion, as he was foxed by Fabian Allen to reduce India to 27/2 in the fifth over.
Skipper Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant retrieved the innings for the Men in Blue as the duo put up a stand of 106 runs, which saw both batsmen bringing up their respective half-centuries. Both batsmen mixed caution with aggression, but Kohli (59) was dismissed in the 18th over by Thomas.
In the end, Pant and Manish Pandey ensured India's victory by seven wickets and with five balls to spare.
Earlier, Kieron Pollard's knock of 58 runs from 45 balls allowed West Indies to post 146 runs for the loss of six wickets in the allotted twenty overs after being asked to bat first.
West Indies got off to a bad start as the side lost its opener Sunil Narine (2) in the second over of the innings. Deepak Chahar sent the left-handed batsman back to the pavilion.
Evin Lewis (10) was also dismissed soon after by Deepak as he had him adjudged LBW in the fourth over. Lewis opted for a review, but replays showed that the ball was crashing into the stumps, and as a result, the side lost their review.
Deepak kept on bowling lethal deliveries, and he had Shimron Hetmyer adjudged LBW to reduce West Indies to 14/3 in the fourth over.
Pollard and Nicholas Pooran joined each other at the crease and they retrieved the innings for West Indies as the duo put up a partnership of 66 runs, but their resistance was ended by Navdeep Saini as he dismissed Pooran (17), reducing West Indies to 80/4 in the 14th over.
The 32-year-old Pollard brought up his half-century in the 15th over, but immediately after reaching the landmark Pollard (58) was clean bowled by Saini in the 16th over to peg West Indies back.
Debutant Rahul Chahar scalped his first wicket in the 18th over as he dismissed Windies skipper Carlos Brathwaite (10). West Indies batsmen could not get going in the final overs, but Rovman Powell managed to score 16 runs off the last over bowled by Saini to allow West Indies to go past the 140-run mark.
Powell remained unbeaten on 32 whereas Deepak Chahar scalped three wickets for India.
India and West Indies will now face each other in the three-match ODI series, beginning August 8.
Brief Scores: India 150/3 (Rishabh Pant 65*, Virat Kohli 59, Oshane Thomas 2-29) defeat West Indies 146/6 (Kieron Pollard 58, Rovman Powell 32*, Deepak Chahar 3-4) by seven wickets.
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