MUMBAI – India openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul both smashed hundreds and combined in a stand of 227 to set up a comfortable 107-run win against West Indies in the second one-day international on Wednesday, levelling the three-match series at 1-1.
Rohit hit 159 for his 28th century in ODIs while Rahul brought up his third in the format with a knock of 102 to lay down the platform for India's massive score of 387 for five after West Indies won the toss and chose to field.
The power-packed Caribbean batting unit, who successfully chased down a target of 288 in Chennai on Sunday to win by eight wickets, were bundled out for 280 in the 44th over at Visakhapatnam.
West Indies' hopes seemed alive at 192-3 in the 30th over but fast bowler Mohammed Shami's two wickets in two balls and a hat-trick from left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav reduced them to 210-8 at the end of the 33rd over.
Shami sent back Nicholas Pooran, who hit 75 in 47 balls with half a dozen sixes and the same number of fours, and West Indies captain Kieron Pollard in successive deliveries to jolt the visitors' progress.
Shai Hope, who scored an unbeaten 102 in the first ODI, lived a charmed life on his way to 78 before he became the first to fall to Kuldeep.
Hope, who was dropped on the first ball he faced and then survived twice on 73, holed out before Kuldeep dismissed Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph for his second ODI hat-trick.
Kuldeep, who had also taken a hat-trick in Kolkata against Australia in 2017, returned figures of 3-52. Shami finished with 3-39.
Earlier, Rohit, who was dropped on 70 by Shimron Hetmyer off Roston Chase, completed his seventh hundred in 2019 across formats, hitting 17 fours and five sixes in his 138-ball knock.
The owner of three double hundreds and the highest score of 264 in ODIs, Rohit struggled for timing and touch at the start but grew in confidence as he spent time at the crease.
Rahul, who hit eight fours and three sixes, did the bulk of the scoring at the onset before being overtaken by Rohit.
India captain Virat Kohli, who scored four in Chennai, had another failure and was out on the first ball he faced, soon after the side had lost Rahul.
But Rohit and Shreyas Iyer kept India on course for a big total with a 60-run stand.
Iyer's 53 was his fourth straight ODI fifty and his whirlwind stand of 73 in four overs with Rishabh Pant, who smacked 39 off 16, provided India with late impetus.
India's most productive over came in the 47th when off-spinner Chase leaked 31 runs with Iyer scoring 28 of those.
Cuttack will host the decisive ODI on Sunday.