Lewis powers Windies to victory

Kingston : Evin Lewis blazed his second hundred against India to lead the West Indies to a rampaging nine-wicket victory in the one-off T20 international at Sabina Park yesterday.

Replying to the tourists’ challenging total of 190 for six, Lewis stole the spotlight from returning local hero Chris Gayle with a blistering unbeaten 125 in taking the home side to 194 for one with nine balls to spare.

It was the first T20 international hundred scored by a West Indian in the Caribbean, and puts the left-handed opener alongside Gayle and New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum as the only players to have scored more than one century in the international format of the game. Lewis’ innings was highlighted by 12 towering sixes and six fours off only 62 deliveries. This memorable knock came 11 months after he compiled an even 100 against the same opponents in Fort Lauderdale, where the West Indies sneaked a one-run win a high-scoring encounter.

He completely dominated an 82-run opening stand with Gayle, who fell to debutant Kuldeep Yadav for 18 in the ninth over. Marlon Samuels then supported Lewis’ explosive innings with an assured unbeaten 36 off 29 deliveries as their unbroken second-wicket stand of 112 saw the West Indies home in the 19th over. Lewis fittingly ended the contest with another swing for six off spinner Ravindra Jadeja to achieve the highest individual score in a T20 international chase.

“It was at the back of my mind that I didn’t get a score in the one-dayers but I just believe in backing myself and playing my style of game,” said a delighted Lewis after receiving the man-of-the-match award.  “This is a very good bowling team so any runs you get against them is really appreciated.”

As well as the 25-year-old from Trinidad and Tobago played though, India did not help their cause by twice dropping him in the deep as he approached the half-century mark, Mohammad Shami and Dinesh Karthik the culprits in the field.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni also missed a stumping chance when Gayle was on one while Samuels benefited from a couple of narrow escapes in what was an untidy effort by India in the field.

Earlier, Indian captain Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan led the charge after they were sent in to bat by Carlos Brathwaite, the pair putting on 64 for the first wicket until both fell in the sixth over of the innings to Kesrick Williams.

In just his second T20 international, Rishabh Pant struggled to get going but it was the experienced Karthik who dominated an 86-run third-wicket stand before he fell for 48, bowled behind his legs by Samuels.