Venkatesh Iyer set the cat among the pigeons during the second T20 international against the West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday, with a ramp shot that caused India dugout to run helter-skelter and take cover.
Venkatesh smashed the West Indian bowlers all over the park, scoring 33 runs from just 18 balls, with the help of four strokes to the boundary and one over it.
One of his shots to the boundary, on the third ball of the third delivery of the 15th over as Sheldon Cottrell sent down a ball down the leg stump, Venkatesh just flicked it to send the ball to the boundary ropes.
India vs West Indies, 2nd T20I – LIVE
As the ball scampered down to the fine-leg region, it almost took his team down as the Indian players ducked for cover as some even fell to the ground trying to avoid being hit.
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In the end, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant hit attacking half-centuries as India reached 186/5 from their quota of 20 overs.
The Indian batting wobbled after Kohli’s 52 but Pant, who hit an unbeaten 52 off 28 balls, and Venkatesh put on 76 runs for the fifth wicket to boost the challenging total.
West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard won the toss and elected to field in his 100th T20I, while off-spinner Roston Chase led the bowling charge with three wickets in his team’s bid to stay alive in the series, led by India 1-0, in Kolkata .
Pace bowler Sheldon Cottrell got Ishan Kishan caught behind for two after the left-handed openers’ struggle at the crease in a 10-ball stay.
Chase sent back kipper Rohit Sharma for 19 and then caught and bowled Suryakumar Yadav for eight.
Kohli, who had scores of eight, 18 and nought in India’s 3-0 ODI sweep of West Indies and then 17 in the opening T20 win, overcame a brief lull to smash his 30th T20I fifty.
He raised his 50 with a six off Chase, who finished with figures of 3-25, but was bowled two balls later after his 41-ball knock.
The left-handed batting pair of Pant and Iyer, who made 33 off 18 balls before being bowled by Romario Shepherd, then hit back to take the attack to the opposition.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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