Ind Vs Wi: Eden Gardens showdown turns into late-over drama
In a match billed ind vs wi at Kolkata's Eden Gardens, West Indies posted 195-4 and left India chasing late as every boundary and dropped chance shaped a must-win Super 8 fixture that sends the winner into a semi-final against England while eliminating the loser.
West Indies total and key figures
West Indies 195-4: Chase 40, Holder 37, Powell 34; Bumrah 2-36. The Caribbean side reached 195 for four, with Chase on 40, Jason Holder 37 and Powell 34, while India’s Jasprit Bumrah finished with figures of 2-36.
Ind Vs Wi: how earlier matches set the stage
India came into the final Super 8 game at Eden Gardens as favourites but had been far from convincing in the tournament. Against England they lost two wickets inside the first two overs yet still managed a match-winning 196 thanks to Sherfane Rutherford’s 76* off 42 balls. Against South Africa India’s bowlers leaked runs and, from 20/3, the Proteas went on to post a match-winning 187. In another Super 8 game the Windies had been 83/7 before Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder added 89 off 59 to reach 176.
Key moments: dropped catch, pep talks and clutch hitting
Hardik Pandya plinks a routine catch to Jason Holder in the covers; Holder juggled once, twice, three times and the ball went down, and Holder put his face in his hands as bowler Romario Shepherd quickly turned away. Jason Holder’s pep talk worked for three balls, with Shamar Joseph conceding three singles, but then Joseph went for the wide yorker and Sanju Samson turned the ball around the corner for four. That over produced 14 runs and left India needing 36 runs from four overs at one stage; earlier in the passage India had needed 50 runs in 30 balls.
Bowling, fielding and a timely grab
Shamar Joseph’s previous over had been a flurry of boundaries; another boundary drifted down the leg-side off his yorker with Hardik Pandya turning it to the rope. Sanju Samson finished the 15th over with a boundary that was described as perfect placement and noted as his 12th. Michael Carberry, a former England batter on Radio 5 Sports Extra, questioned the tactic of going with the pace-on yorker with the field set, and later highlighted a big moment when Shimron Hetmyer took what was called a superb grab: "West Indies needed a wicket and here it is. What a grab by Shimron Hetmyer, " a line that summed up the turning point leaving commentators wondering if it had opened a small crack in India’s chase.
India's weaknesses and Windies' influence
Concerns about India’s bowling depth were repeated: Varun Chakaravarthy and Hardik Pandya have not been that convincing, forcing India to use their sixth bowler often in Shivam Dube, who has at times made things worse. Against South Africa both Chakaravarthy and Pandya leaked runs and Dube was no help; the Proteas took advantage to reach 187. Against Zimbabwe Dube conceded 46 runs in just two overs. The West Indies’ past successes at Eden Gardens were invoked — fans remember Carlos Brathwaite hitting Ben Stokes for four successive sixes in the final over to secure the 2016 title — and Darren Sammy, who captained that 2016 side, is present with this Windies team as head coach, bringing the experience and leadership the coverage called his "pearls of wisdom. " Also remembered was India’s semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium when India had posted 192/2 and Lendl Simmons then played a blinder of 82 not out to steer the Caribbean team into the final, leaving Indian fans stunned.
How to follow the finish and what comes next
Listen to Radio 5 Live Sport commentary on Sounds for live coverage, and fans were invited to have their say using the 'Get Involved' button on this page. The winner of this Super 8 match will face England in the semi-finals and the loser will be eliminated.
