India became the number one team in the men’s ICC T20I team rankings for the first time in six years after its 3-0 series sweep against West Indies in Kolkata on Sunday.
India surpassed former T20 World Champions England who had 269 rating points to take the top spot.
India was previously No. 1 in the format under Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s leadership from February 12, 2016 to May 3, 2016.
Despite the early dismissal of Ruturaj Gaikwad, who got a leading edge off Holder’s outswing, India made steady progress through a half-century stand between Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer.
Kishan, having struggled in the earlier games, looked slightly better in this match while Shreyas came out with a positive mindset. But both fell in successive overs, with Roston Chase and Hayden Walsh jr. delivering the strikes.
Chase, who has been one of West Indies’ key bowlers in this series, had economical returns, as did Walsh. Fabian Allen too gave away only five off the lone over he bowled, with the three spinners combing for an economy of 6.5.
Holder had a decent outing with the ball, conceding only 29 runs off his four overs despite going for 10 off his final over. But Drakes and Shepherd went for over 12 in their seven overs, which made plenty of difference to India’s eventual total of 184/5 in 20 overs.
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There was no Bhuvneshwar Kumar, no Yuzvendra Chahal while Deepak Chahar, who delivered two early strikes to send back the openers, left the field after bowling 1.5 overs holding on to his hamstring.
The in-form pair of Pooran and Rovman Powell made the most of this and at the receiving end was Avesh Khan (on debut), going for 20 off his first two overs, while Thakur conceded 18 off his first over. At the end of the powerplay, West Indies had raced away to 68/2, 25 more than what India had managed at the same stage.
The threatening third wicket stand, which lasted for 25 deliveries and yielded 47 runs, was ended by Harshal who struck in his first over. He put down a tough return catch but Powell fell off the next ball, getting a top edge and Thakur held on to a good catch.
Venkatesh struck in successive overs to send Kieron Pollard and Jason Holder back to the hut, ensuring that India did not miss Chahar’s presence.
Harshal then came back to pick up the wicket of Chase, reducing West Indies to 100 for 6.
ooran, who got a bottom edge off Ravi Bishnoi and was put down by the ‘keeper, made the most of the miss as he dealt in regular boundaries. Shepherd was clearing the fence with regularity at the other end, as the seventh wicket pair brought down the equation to 37 off the last three overs.
However, West Indies’ finishing abilities came a cropper again, which started with the dismissal of Pooran who got a top edge off Thakur while attempting a big one. Harshal bagged the wicket of Shepherd in the 19th over and conceded only eight, leaving West Indies needing 23 off the final over.
This proved to be too much of a task as India registered their ninth successive victory in the 20-over format.
Brief scores:
India 184/5 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 65, Venkatesh Iyer 35*; Roston Chase 1-23)
West Indies 167/9 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 61, Romario Shepherd 29; Harshal Patel 3-22).