India's 107-run victory in the second ODI at Vizag was fueled by a dominant opening stand and a rare bowling masterclass. Rohit Sharma was in peak form, scoring 159 from 138 deliveries to mark his 28th ODI hundred, while KL Rahul matched his intensity with 102 off 104 balls. Their 227-run partnership set the foundation for a massive team score of 387/5. The momentum continued right until the end, with Shreyas Iyer (53) and Rishabh Pant (39) adding an explosive 72 runs in the closing stages of the innings.
The West Indies' chase started promisingly, reaching 192/3 by the 30th over, but they couldn't withstand the Indian attack and were bowled out for 280. Mohammed Shami played a crucial role in breaking their resistance, claiming 3/39 and removing the dangerous Nicholas Pooran and Kieron Pollard with a couple of brilliant deliveries.
Kuldeep Yadav's contribution was pivotal, ending with figures of 3/52. He managed to break through the stubborn defense of Shai Hope (78) and followed it up by removing Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph in quick succession. By taking this hat-trick, Kuldeep became the first Indian cricketer to achieve two international hat-tricks, marking his second such feat in ODI cricket.
Once the West Indies lost five wickets for just 18 runs, the match was effectively over. It was only a matter of time before India secured the win and snapped their four-game losing streak on home soil.
The final deciding match is scheduled for December 22nd in Cuttack. Throughout the game, Rohit Sharma's batting was a masterclass in control and elegance, making the West Indian bowlers look completely helpless as he dictated the pace of the entire match.
The West Indian bowling attack struggled significantly; Sheldon Cottrell went for 83 runs in 9 overs, leaving him too exhausted to perform his trademark salute after Shreyas Iyer's dismissal. Alzarri Joseph and Keemo Paul fared no better, conceding 68 and 62 runs respectively. Rohit's acceleration was remarkable, moving from his first 50 in 67 balls to his next 50 in just 40, hammering 17 boundaries and five sixes with relentless precision.
Accelerator in this format 1st 50 off 67 the next off 40 balls. In this match 17 boundaries and five sixes and Rohit played the same shot again and again.