NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – West Indies opener Lendl Simmons smashed a breezy 67 not out to help secure a series-levelling eight-wicket victory over India in the second Twenty20 International today.
After restricting the hosts to 170-7, the tourists’ big-hitting top order clobbered 12 sixes, compared to India’s five, and chased down the target with nine balls to spare.
India lost Rohit Sharma and fellow opener KL Rahul cheaply after West Indies captain Kieron Pollard won the toss and elected to field.
Shivam Dube revived the hosts with his maiden fifty in Twenty20 Internationals, clobbering four sixes, including three in a Pollard over.
The left-hander made 54 before throwing his wicket away.
Rishabh Pant made 33 not out but most of the Indian batsmen struggled against the clever change of pace by the West Indian bowlers and settled for a sub-200 total.
Kesrick Williams dismissed Virat Kohli for 19, winning his duel with the India captain who mimicked the bowler’s box-ticking celebration on Friday.
Simmons and fellow opener Evin Lewis (40) put on 73 runs to give West Indies a strong start, both benefiting from India’s unusually sloppy catching at Thiruvananthapuram’s Greenfield International Stadium.
Kohli took a spectacular catch near the rope to send back Shimron Hetmyer but Simons and Nicholas Pooran, who made 38 out, batted sensibly, completing the victory with minimum fuss.
Mumbai hosts the third and final Twenty20 International on Wednesday before the teams clash in a three-match one-day series.
