A 405 would usually be sufficient to determine an ODI. In Guwahati on the other hand, it was the losing score. India came up with a remarkable reply to the West Indies massive 406-run effort and went 406 for two in 43.3 overs to beat West Indies in the second ODI by eight wickets.
The loss cost the West Indies their chance to go 2-0 up in the 3-match series, after India earned a 2-0 series lead in the match. It was even more impressive, as the visitors lost after committing over 400 in an ODI for the first time in their history.
Their batting, by itself, was top-notch. Three scored over three figures: John Campbell (328), Shai Hope (303) and Amir Jangoo (114). Hope made 104 off 134 deliveries while Campbell’s 101 came off 68 deliveries.
Hope and Jangoo were especially lethal in their 182-run stand. By the time Hope left the West Indies had picked up 329 and had a huge platform in front of them for the remaining 10 overs. They threw in an additional 76 runs to end with 405 for seven.
India, however, barely had any effect on their approach due to their target. Bowlers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill pounced on the job from the start and their initial partnership with each other eventually delivered 255 runs.
Rohit scored 101 runs off 72 balls before Jayden Seales got him out. The century also put him in the exclusive club of 12,000 ODI runs for Indian batters along with Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.
Gill brought the game to a new height. The Indian batsman scored the unbeaten 223 off 133 balls to make it his second double century in his 155 ODI career.
He bowled his 200 in 117 balls, the quickest double hundred in ODI cricket. Gill hit 26 four and eight sixes in his 31 balls and was unbeaten as India secured a victory with 39 balls left.
This was echoed in the team milestones as well, with India’s team having a good run of form. They crossed 200 in 21.1 overs and 300 in just 29.1, the quickest they had ever managed to do in an ODI.
The overall statistical picture of the match was also very interesting. The 811 runs were the third highest aggregate in ODI history and five different batsmen managed to make their century in the match.
India bowlers had a tough time in the early part of the match when they had to deal with a brilliant batting surface from the Wankhede, but Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Gurnoor Brar managed to strip the West Indies of two wickets each. Kuldeep also got the ‘Keemo Paul’ wicket to add to his 200 wickets tally in ODI cricket.
So Guwahati finds itself in an odd situation with the West Indies, who scored 405 runs and two centuries, only to make the chase look like a routine affair for their opponents. India’s historic comeback has not only won the series, but has also created one of the most statistically outlandish ODI wins of recent times.
