India complete 326-run chase to beat West Indies at Barsapara in 2018 ODI

India defeated West Indies at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati in an ODI during the 2018 tour. The run chase was described in the source as one of the best batting performances ever recorded in a second innings.

Barsapara Cricket Stadium, also called Assam Cricket Association Stadium, is one of India’s newer international venues and received international recognition in 2017. The ground has hosted matches across all three formats since then; its first international fixture was a T20I between India and Australia in October 2017. The venue has a seating capacity of 46,000, extendable to 55,000 with temporary stands, and is listed on Wikipedia as the seventh largest cricket stadium in India.

The pitch at Barsapara is reported to be flat, offering good bounce and pace that allow batters to play on the up. According to the source, the surface gives very little assistance to bowlers — both fast bowlers and spinners — making wicket-taking difficult. That combination has produced high-scoring contests at the ground and has made defending totals challenging.

In the referenced ODI, West Indies posted 322/8 in the first innings. Shimron Hetmyer made 106 off 78 balls during that innings, contributing the bulk of the visitors’ total.

India’s reply began poorly when Shikhar Dhawan was dismissed for 4 off 6 in the second over. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli then compiled a 246-run partnership for the second wicket, recorded in the source as India’s eighth-highest ODI partnership. Both batters reached centuries in the chase: Rohit remained unbeaten on 152 off 117 balls and Kohli scored 140 off 107 balls. India reached the target and finished on 326/2.

The successful run chase at Barsapara stands in the source as the highest successful ODI chase recorded at the venue.