What went wrong in the match against WI
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India's winning run in the ODIs came to an abrupt end with the West Indians hanging on to their nerves to secure a victory from the jaws of defeat at Sabina Park in Kingston. The Indian team were on a roll after it won the Champions Trophy without losing a match and came into the tri-series as clear cut favourites.
Here is a look at what possibly could have gone wrong in the match against the West Indies:
The pitch: The pitch was probably not the best one to play one-day cricket and the rub of the green with the toss going the West Indian way did not do any good to India's chances. There was a lot of dampness on the pitch early on which made run-scoring difficult. But as the game progressed, it became batting friendly, therefore making it easier for the side chasing a target.
Losing early wickets: The key to India's victory in the Champions Trophy was the opening partnership which set the tone for the rest of the match. Losing Dhawan, the in-form batsman, and Virat Kohli early forced India to rebuild which also had an effect on the run-rate. India never really got into a position to accelerate as they kept on losing wickets at regular intervals.
Absence of Dhoni: India missed the services of its captain MS Dhoni as he did not come out to field after suffering cramps while batting and it was left to Virat Kohli to lead his side in a match which went right down to the wire. Dhoni brings an air of calmness which India missed dearly at Sabina Park.
Fortune favouring West Indies: India would be cursing its luck as at the end of the day it came down to picking up only one wicket but that is how much of a difference it is between winning and losing at times. There were a couple of half-chances which fell short of the fielder after the ball found the edge of the bat.
Unable to maintain the pressure: India were 15-20 runs short and a score of 229 would always be difficult to defend. However, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar brought India right back into the game by picking up early wickets. West Indies were reeling at 26/3 with both Gayle and Samuels back in the hut but a partnership of 116 runs between Darren Bravo and Johnson Charles took the match away from the Indians.
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