The Greenfield International Stadium came alive as India brushed aside a 296-run target against the West Indies, cruising home with 8 wickets in hand and 50 balls to spare.
The King’s Carnage: Record-Breaking 139*
When Rohit Sharma fell for 32, Virat Kohli turned the run-chase into pure theater. Blitzing an unbeaten 139 off just 88 balls at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 157.95, he smashed 10 fours and a career-best 9 sixes in an ODI innings.
Along the way, the Chase Master shattered two monumental records:
- 15,000 ODI Runs: Became the fastest player in cricket history to cross 15,000 ODI runs (reaching it in just 303 innings), joining Sachin Tendulkar as the only other batter to achieve the feat.
- 7,000 Home ODI Runs: Became the fastest batter to cross 7,000 ODI runs on Indian soil.
Pure Grace: Shubman Gill’s Classy 110
While Kohli brought sheer force, skipper Shubman Gill provided absolute elegance. Gill anchored the innings with a sublime 110 off 108 deliveries (13 fours, 1 six), driving and flicking through the off-side with pristine timing. The duo put on a match-winning 150-run partnership that stripped the Windies bowlers of all momentum.
The Spin Web: Kuldeep Yadav’s 4/40
Earlier, Justin Greaves' maiden century (101) had West Indies coasting at 176/1 and threatening a 320+ total. Enter Kuldeep Yadav, who produced a magic spell of 4 for 40 in 10 overs to win Player of the Match.
Kuldeep delivered a stunning double-wicket maiden over and ripped through the Caribbean middle order—removing John Campbell (62), Shai Hope. He also took the wickets of Greaves, and Jewel Andrew—to drag West Indies back to 295/7 and lay the perfect foundation for India's explosive chase.
