• Source:JND
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India displayed a clinical performance, outclassing West Indies by a massive 200 runs in the third ODI, securing a 2-1 series victory. Despite the convincing win, lingering questions about the team's combination ahead of the World Cup still loomed on the horizon.

While four half-centuries from the batsmen and an exceptional bowling effort contributed to the triumph, it wasn't a definitive sign that all aspects of the team have been sorted out.

Also Read: IND vs WI 3rd ODI Full Highlights

In a bid to provide an opportunity to potential World Cup contenders, skipper Rohit Sharma and senior player Virat Kohli once again decided to sit out of the match. Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson and Hardik Pandya did prove their prowess with the bat notching up half centuries to take India to 351/5 after 50 overs.

In response, West Indies' batters looked completely out of sorts against a disciplined Indian bowling line-up. Shardul Thakur remained the pick of the bowlers picking up a four-fer supported by Mukesh Kumar (3 wickets) and Kuldeep Yadav (2 wickets).

Pushed into batting first, Kishan got off the mark by driving Jayden Seales past cover for a boundary. In the next over, he received a life when Keacy Carty dropped his catch at backward point. Gill joined the party with delightful pull, short-arm jab and brilliant punch past cover for boundaries.

With the ball not swinging much, Kishan used his bottom hand power to collect three boundaries off Kyle Mayers through the leg-side. Gill would steer him for four, before pulling, slashing and punching Alzarri Jospeh for three boundaries in the ninth over, as India got 73 runs in power-play.

Kishan continued to hit big boundaries and reached his third successive ODI fifty in 43 deliveries, followed by Gill reaching his fifty in 51 balls with a pulled four off Cariah. Kishan's knock ended in the 20th over when he missed Cariah's delivery on attempting to heave through the leg-side and was stumped.

Also Read: Sanju Samson on his comeback fifty in ODIs

After Gaikwad's edge on drive was caught by second slip, Samson announced his arrival by lofting Cariah for two sixes on both sides of 'V'. After surviving an lbw appeal, Samson stylishly flicked Seales for six. Gill and Samson would continue to deal in boundaries, with the latter reaching his third ODI fifty in 39 balls.

But immediately after, Samson mistimed a loft to mid-off against Shepherd. Seven overs later, Gill couldn't keep pull down and was caught at mid-wicket off Motie. Hardik got into the groove with a pulled four off Seales and smashing Cariah down the ground for six. On the other hand, Suryakumar was quick in glancing, flicking and lofting low full tosses for boundaries.

But his stay ended at 35 off 30 balls when his attempted open-faced loft was caught by backward point off Shepherd. Hardik would smack powerful sixes off pacers to get his fifty in 45 balls. He went on to hit two sixes and a four in the final over to take India past 350.