West Indies beats India by 8 wickets to level series
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India (AP) - Lendl Simmons scored 67 not out off 45 balls as West Indies beat India by eight wickets to win the second Twenty20 and level the three-match series 1-1 on Sunday.
Simmons hit four fours and four sixes, scoring a 38-ball half-century, and added 73 runs for the first wicket with Evin Lewis (40). India was sloppy in the field, dropping multiple catches.
In reply to India's 170-7, West Indies scored 173-2 and won with nine deliveries to spare as dewy conditions played into their hands.
For the hosts, Shivam Dube (54) scored a first T20 half-century off 27 balls after a surprise promotion to No. 3 in the order.
"We expected to get more runs in the last four overs, but fell short. We were 10-15 runs shy of a par score, but with fielding like that no score can be good enough. If you drop catches, it is going to cost you," India captain Virat Kohli said.
Chasing 171, openers Simmons and Lewis added 50 runs off 39 balls. Both openers survived in the fifth over as two catches were dropped in the space of three deliveries off Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
West Indies' captain Kieron Pollard, rear, hugs India's captain Virat Kohli after their win in the second Twenty20 international cricket match between India and West Indies in Thiruvanathapuram, India, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
Nicholas Pooran smacked 38 not out off 18 balls, with four fours and two sixes, on his return from an international ban for ball tampering.
Earlier, West Indies won the toss and put India in to bat on a challenging wicket.
India crossed 50 in the eighth over but lost both Lokesh Rahul (11) and Rohit Sharma (15).
Dube was promoted up the order to increase the scoring rate.
West Indies´ Kesrick Williams (2-30) and Hayden Walsh (2-28) shared four wickets to strike at regular intervals.
India's Rishabh Pant anchored the finish and scored 33 not out off 22 balls.
The third and final T20 is in Mumbai on Dec. 11.
West Indies' Nicholas Pooran bats during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between India and West Indies in Thiruvanathapuram, India, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
India's Rohit Sharma, right, reacts as teammate Shreyas Iyer, left, drops a catch after a shot played by West Indies' Nicholas Pooran during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between India and West Indies in Thiruvanathapuram, India, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
West Indies' Nicholas Pooran bats during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between India and West Indies in Thiruvanathapuram, India, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
India's Ravindra Jadeja, right, celebrates the dismissal of West Indies' Shimron Hetmyer, left, during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between India and West Indies in Thiruvanathapuram, India, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
India's captain Virat Kohli, right, and West Indies' Shimron Hetmyer watch the replay of Hetmyer's dismissal as they await umpire's decision during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between India and West Indies in Thiruvanathapuram, India, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
India's Ravindra Jadeja, right, runs to catch the ball after dismissing West Indies' Shimron Hetmyer, left, during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between India and West Indies in Thiruvanathapuram, India, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
India's captain Virat Kohli, left, and West Indies' Shimron Hetmyer watch the replay of Hetmyer's dismissal as they await umpire's decision during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between India and West Indies in Thiruvanathapuram, India, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
