West Indies vs India, 2023, 2nd ODI: Hosts' experiment fails as visitors salvage win to level series 1-1

Chasing 182, West Indies defeated India by 6 wickets in the second ODI at Barbados.

The West Indies successfully leveled the ODI series 1-1, injecting an extra dose of excitement into the upcoming third ODI. In a strategic move, the West Indies won the toss and chose to bowl first, while India made two changes to their team by resting Rohit and Kohli and bringing in Samson and Axar. However, India's strategies and experiments in this ODI series haven't been entirely convincing, especially as their batting has struggled in a couple of matches.

In this particular match, India's openers started well with a fine partnership with Ishan scoring another half-century, but the West Indian bowlers made a strong comeback, taking the remaining 9 wickets for only around 90 runs. Shepherd and Motie were impressive, claiming three wickets each, while Alzarri Joseph picked up two wickets, leading to India being bowled out for a meager total of 181.

Disappointing Performance of Middle Order

India's decision to rest Rohit and Kohli and replace them with Samson and Axar Patel didn't go as planned. Both Samson and Axar struggled with their batting and couldn't make a significant impact. Samson, batting at number 3, failed to find his form and was dismissed for just 9 runs. Similarly, Axar, taking the number 4 spot, managed to score only 1 run before getting out. Pandya could only muster 7 runs, and Sky also couldn't contribute significantly, being dismissed for 24.

Unfortunately, the players India experimented with in this match didn't perform as expected. The only silver lining was Ishan, who managed to score 50s in both the matches, providing some positive points amidst the disappointments.

In response, the West Indies openers made a solid start, particularly Mayers, who aggressively played against the pacers during the powerplay and scored a quick 36 runs with a couple of sixes and four boundaries. He had a 50-run partnership with Brandon King. However, Shardul Thakur's introduction into the attack turned the game around as he dismissed both the openers in the same over. Despite losing a few wickets in quick succession, Hope and Carty displayed a cautious and composed approach against the spinners.

Hope's captain's knock was a pivotal factor in the chase, and Carty provided good support from the other end. They managed to chase down the target without much trouble and secured a comprehensive victory for the West Indies. All in all, it was a well-fought match that showcased the West Indies' determination and ability to turn the game in their favor.

India were expected to clean sweep the ODI series, but the hosts surprised everyone with a strong comeback. Hardik Pandya revealed at the toss that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli might make a comeback in the third ODI, raising hopes for a better performance from India. The third ODI, which will be the decisive match of the series, will take place in Trinidad on Monday, August 1st.

Here's how twitter reacted to West Indies' win over India in the second ODI:

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