On This Day — Axar Patel Shines with Match-Winning 64 as India Beat West Indies in a Last-Over Thriller

It turned out to be a nail-biting contest that went down to the final over, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats. Both teams gave it their all in a high-pressure chase. In the end, India held their nerves and came out on top to take a 2-0 lead in the series. Let’s see how the action unfolded.

India vs West Indies: 2nd ODI on 24th July 2022

After sneaking through with a super tight win in the first ODI, India took on the West Indies in the second ODI at Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, on July 24, 2022. Man, what a game it was! West Indies put up a solid 311/6 in their 50 overs, thanks to a brilliant ton from Shai Hope. India, though, chased it down in a heart-pounding finish, ending at 312/8 in 49.4 overs to win by 2 wickets with just 2 balls left. Axar Patel was the hero, smashing an unbeaten 64 and earning the Player of the Match award. Let’s break it down, starting with how the West Indies batted.

West Indies won the toss and decided to bat first, looking to set a big total on a pitch that seemed pretty good for scoring. Shai Hope, playing his 100th ODI, was the star of the show, carving out a fantastic 115 runs off 135 balls with 8 fours and 3 sixes. He played like a guy who knew exactly what he was doing, keeping things steady while picking gaps and hitting the occasional big shot. His knock was the glue that held the innings together, making sure West Indies used all 50 overs to post a challenging score.

The innings kicked off with Hope and Kyle Mayers putting on a fiery 65-run stand for the first wicket in just 9.1 overs. Mayers came out swinging, blasting 39 off 23 balls with 6 fours and a six. He was looking dangerous until Deepak Hooda got him out, caught and bowled, in the 10th over. That early burst helped West Indies race to 50 runs in just 7.1 overs, setting a strong foundation, and Shamarh Brooks came in next and kept the momentum going, adding 62 runs with Hope for the second wicket. Brooks made a solid 35 off 36 balls, hitting 5 fours, before Shikhar Dhawan caught him off Axar Patel’s bowling in the 21st over. At 127/2, the West Indies were in a great spot, with Hope looking super comfortable, reaching his fifty off 69 balls.

Things got a bit shaky when Brandon King got out for a duck, nicked off by Yuzvendra Chahal in the 23rd over, leaving them at 130/3. That’s when Nicholas Pooran, the captain, stepped up big time. He and Hope put on a cracking 117-run partnership for the fourth wicket, which got the innings back on track. Pooran played a blinder, smashing 74 off 77 balls with just 1 four but 6 huge sixes. He was all about clearing the ropes, especially in the middle overs, and it kept the run rate ticking along nicely. The pair pushed West Indies past 200 in the 37th over, with Pooran hitting his fifty off 60 balls.

India’s bowlers, especially Shardul Thakur, fought back hard toward the end, and Thakur was the standout, picking up 3 wickets for 54 runs in his 7 overs. He broke the big partnership by getting Pooran out in the 43rd over, then sent back Rovman Powell (13 off 10) and Hope in quick succession. Hope’s wicket in the 48th over, caught by Axar, was a big blow, but by then he had done his job, guiding West Indies to 300/6. Romario Shepherd (14* off 11) and Akeal Hosein (6* off 4) added some late runs to finish at 300/6. 311/6. The powerplay was strong (71/1 in 10 overs), and the last 10 overs brought 93 runs, showing how well the West Indies paced their innings.

India’s bowling had its moments but wasn’t always on point. Thakur was the star, while Axar (1/40) and Hooda (1/42) chipped in with a wicket each. Chahal was pricey, giving away 69 runs in 9 overs for just one wicket, and Mohammed Siraj (0/46) and Avesh Khan (0/54) didn’t get any breakthroughs. India’s fielding was decent, with Dhawan grabbing two catches, but they struggled to stop the runs during the Hope-Pooran partnership. West Indies’ 311 was a tough task, built on Hope’s class, Pooran’s power, and some smart batting throughout.

Chasing 312 was never going to be easy, but India pulled it off in a thriller, thanks to Axar Patel’s unreal 64 not out off 35 balls. The chase started steadily, with openers Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill putting on 48 runs in 10.6 overs. Dhawan was playing it safe, scoring 13 off 31 balls before Romario Shepherd got him out, caught by Kyle Mayers. Gill looked in great touch, making 43 off 49 balls with 5 fours, but Mayers got him too in the 15th over, leaving India at 66/2. A short rain break in the powerplay (42/0 in 9.4 overs) didn’t mess with their rhythm much.

Shreyas Iyer came in and played a super important knock of 63 off 71 balls, hitting 4 fours and a six. He was joined by Suryakumar Yadav, but Yadav didn’t last long, bowled by Mayers for 9 off 8 balls. Sanju Samson then stepped up, playing a cracking 54 off 51 balls with 3 fours and 3 sixes. He and Iyer added 99 runs for the fourth wicket, taking India past 150 in the 29th over. It was looking good, but Iyer got out lbw to Alzarri Joseph in the 33rd over, and Samson was run out in the 38th over after a mix-up, leaving India at 205/5, needing 107 off 12 overs.

Deepak Hooda came in and played a handy 33 off 36 balls, putting on 51 runs with Axar for the sixth wicket. Hooda fell to Akeal Hosein in the 44th over, and Shardul Thakur didn’t last long, scoring 3 off 6 before Joseph got him. With 56 runs required off the last 6 overs, Axar took over. His 50 off 27 balls, with 3 fours and 4 sixes, was pure magic. Avesh Khan chipped in with a gutsy 10 off 12 balls, including two fours, before getting caught off Jayden Seales in the 49th over.

The last three overs were absolute chaos, and in the 47th over, Shepherd gave away 13 runs, with Axar and Avesh keeping the scoreboard moving. Joseph’s 48th over was tight, conceding just 4 runs, leaving India needing 15 off 12 balls. Seales bowled the 49th over, where Avesh smashed a four and took a single, while Axar added another single, bringing it down to 8 runs off the final over. Kyle Mayers got the ball for the last over, and Axar was ready. After a dot and a single, he faced a full toss on the third ball and smashed it straight for a massive six, sealing the game with 2 balls to spare. Mohammed Siraj was unbeaten on 1 at the other end as India finished at 312/8.

West Indies’ bowlers gave it their all. Joseph (2/46) and Mayers (2/48) were the best, while Seales (1/40) and Shepherd (1/69) got one each. Hosein (1/72) and Hayden Walsh (0/24) couldn’t keep the runs down, and their fielders, like Shamarh Brooks with two catches, were sharp, but Axar’s late fireworks were too much. India’s chase showed their batting depth, with Iyer and Samson setting it up and Axar finishing it in style, clinching a 2-0 series lead. What a game!