Holder Takes Five Wickets as West Indies Beat India by 11 Runs

West Indies beat India by 11 runs in the fourth ODI at North Sound on Sunday.

West Indies captain Jason Holder took five wickets as they beat India by 11 runs in the fourth ODI at North Sound on Sunday.

After West Indies eked out 189 for nine wickets off their 50 overs, India were bowled out for 178 in 49.4 overs.

India lead the five-match series 2-1 going into the final game in Kingston, Jamaica on Thursday, where the home team will have a chance to draw the series.

India, who made three changes from the team that won the third game on Friday, were disappointing with the bat.

Even Mahendra Singh Dhoni was not immune from criticism, scoring a slow 54 off 114 balls, with just one boundary, as the visitors fell behind the required run rate chasing a modest total.

India needed 31 runs off last five overs with both Dhoni and Hardik Pandya (20 off 21) at the crease but the visitors were all out for 178 in 49.4 overs.

From overs 35 to 43, India scored just 23 runs, making heavy weather of the chase. The 44th over by part-timer Roston Chase fetched India 16 runs that eased off the pressure a bit but India still fell short.

West Indies captain Jason Holder (5/27) not only removed Virat Kohli upfront he got rid of Pandya at the crucial juncture in his memorable five-wicket haul.

Dhoni scored his slowest half-century as he took 108 balls to get to his 64th ODI fifty. He scored his first boundary in the 103rd ball he faced.

He holed out to Alzarri Joseph at boundary ropes off Kesrick Williams in the last ball of the 49th over, leaving the team struggling at 176 for eight.

Holder removed Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami in the last over to complete the win.

Opener Ajinkya Rahane (60) hit his fourth ODI fifty in a row in an otherwise poor batting by top-order. He shared a 54-run partnership with Dhoni.

The visitors lost three wickets – Shikhar Dhawan (5), captain Virat Kohli (3) and Dinesh Karthik (2) – upfront but with Rahane and Dhoni both at the crease, India were still favourites to win the match.

The last match of the series scheduled for Thursday in Kingston and the lone T20 will be played on Sunday.

Earlier, all-rounder Hardik Pandya (3/40) and chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav (2/31) yet again proved very effective in the middle overs while Umesh Yadav (3/36) scalped three batsmen later on in India's dominating bowling show.

Coming into the must-win match, West Indies elected to bat and were off to a steady start. Openers Evin Lewis (35) and Kyle Hope (35) put up a 57-run stand for the hosts before Pandya broke the partnership by getting rid of the latter.

Kuldeep made life tough tough for the West Indies batsmen with his stock ball and googlies. Lewis tried to open his arms, going for a drive off Kuldeep, but the ball turned a bit and went straight to captain Virat Kohli at mid-wicket.

With Pandya and Kuldeep bowling in tandem accurate lines, the hosts found the going tough. Paceman Umesh Yadav also contributed in cleaning up the middle over by scalping three batsmen.

Once the openers departed it got worse for the West Indies, which needed a good partnership and a batsman, who could stay on the crease for a longer period.

The chinaman bowler struck for the second time when he deceived Roston Chase (25) in the air and the ball clipped the bails, leaving the team at 121 for there in 31.2 overs.

The hosts maintained a decent run-rate but Pandya returned and dismissed wicket-keeper Shai Hope (25) by having him caught behind and soon Umesh Yadav had his first victim in rival captain Jason Holder (11).

Half the team was back in pavilion. The responsibility to get the side a fighting total was on Jason Mohammed and Rovman Powell.

However both of them departed soon. Powell, attempting to hit one hard from Umesh, miscued one to Ravindra Jadeja while Mohammed hit straight to Jadeja while slashing one from Pandya.

Umesh troubled the tail-enders Devendra Bishoo (15) and Ashley Nurse (4) with his fast and rising deliveries. One such ball hurried on to Nurse took an edge and Umesh caught it diving to his follow right.