Ajinkya Rahane´s third hundred and a blistering assault by captain Virat Kohli lifted India to a formidable 310 for five against the West Indies in the second one-day international at the Queen´s Park Oval in Trinidad on Sunday.
In a match reduced to 43 overs per side due to early morning rain and a two-hour delayed start, Rahane´s well-paced 103 in another dominant opening partnership with Shikhar Dhawan (63) set the tone for the tourists after they were put in to bat in heavily overcast and damp conditions.
Kohli then picked up the pace even further when Dhawan departed after a first-wicket partnership of 114, the left-hander being deceived by Ashley Nurse to be stumped.
It was the off-spinner´s only success of the innings although Nurse was by far the best of the West Indies bowlers, conceding just 38 runs off nine overs.
Rahane eventually reached three figures with a boundary off Miguel Cummins.
However the medium-pacer got his revenge in the same over when the batsmen attempted an ungainly heave and was bowled for 103. Rahane´s innings occupied 104 deliveries and was embellished by two sixes and ten fours.
Having dominated a 97-run second-wicket partnership with Rahane, Kohli took centre stage in the final assault and seemed destined to reach another ODI hundred to the delight of a decent contingent of visiting Indian fans when he was caught at long-off by Nurse off Alzarri Joseph for 87 off 66 balls in the penultimate over, a thoroughly entertaining effort highlighted by four towering sixes and four fours.
West Indies´ indiscipline in the field added to the challenge and their woes were encapsulated by a horrific final over of the innings delivered by their captain Jason Holder.
He conceded 20 runs, bowled three no balls and had to be pulled out of the attack with one ball left in the innings because two of those no balls were delivered over waist-high to the batsman on strike.
It was left to Jonathan Carter to complete the over and the innings and encapsulated a shoddy effort overall by the home side.
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