Hope’s unbeaten 162 drives West Indies to 352 chase and a 5-wicket win over India in third ODI
Shai Hope made an unbeaten 162 as West Indies reached 352/5 in 48.2 overs to beat India, who had posted 351/7 in 50 overs, in the third and final ODI at Mullanpur (New Chandigarh) on Saturday, October 3.
Hope had kept wicket for all 50 overs of India’s innings before opening the West Indies chase, and he batted through the successful 48.2-over run chase despite carrying a niggle; the visitors completed their highest successful ODI chase and recorded their first ODI win over India since 2023, while doing so a batter short. Hope’s 162 not out surpassed Desmond Haynes’ 152 not out from Georgetown in 1989 as the highest individual score by a West Indies batter against India in ODIs, and it bettered West Indies’ previous best successful chase of 331/5 at Malahide in 2019.
India recovered from 4/2 to post 351/7 after early wickets, with Shubman Gill dismissed for 1 and Virat Kohli out for a golden duck, both to Jayden Seales; Kohli’s dismissal was a forward flick that nipped back and hit the middle stump. Rohit Sharma and Ruturaj Gaikwad rebuilt the innings with a 137-run partnership on a pitch offering assistance to pacers, and Rohit advanced from a cautious start to a 92 off 85 balls, hitting 10 fours and three sixes before Keemo Paul removed him.
Ruturaj finished on 57 off 69 balls with one four and four sixes before India’s middle order reshaped the closing overs. KL Rahul moved from anchor to aggressor, bringing up a fifty from 41 balls and forming useful stands with Naman Dhir and Gurnoor Brar; Naman was making his maiden international appearance and contributed an attacking cameo. Anshul Kamboj struck two sixes and scored 17 off nine balls before being run out.
Rahul reached his century from 80 balls, having taken 39 deliveries to go from fifty to three figures, and survived two drops before unleashing the late assault that powered India’s finish. He struck an 84-metre six off Alzarri Joseph, brought up his hundred with a six off Jayden Seales and followed with another maximum in the same over, then attacked Keemo Paul for two sixes and a four and finished with a reverse scoop for two to remain unbeaten on 129 off 87 balls, with 10 fours and two sixes; India collected 105 runs in the final 10 overs.
In reply, West Indies kept the required rate under control and advanced steadily with Hope anchoring the innings from the top, ultimately reaching the target in 48.2 overs to deny India a series whitewash. The victory was a consolation for the visitors after India had already sealed the three-match series with wins in the first two games.
