WI VS IND - 3rd ODI, India tour of West Indies, 2023

Hardik Pandya collects the trophy and it's been now handed over to Mukesh Kumar who holds it aloft alongside his mates. Now time to pose behind the champions hoarding. All smiles in the Indian camp. So, a comprehensive win for India to wrap up the ODI series and the focus now quickly shifts to the 5-match T20I series. It is a format the West Indies prefer the most you'd think. First game starts at the very same venue on Thursday. It's a relatively young squad for India with Hardik Pandya at the helm of affairs. The hosts, too, have a few exciting names up their sleeve. Do remember to join us for each of those games to catch all the fun. Until then, cheers and goodbye!!

Hardik Pandya | India captain: It’s a special win. To be honest, I look forward to these kind of games as a captain where there is something on the line. This was more than an international game. We knew what was at stake and there would be a lot of disappointment if we lost. The boys showed great character. They enjoyed it as well, in pressure situations it’s important to enjoy it as well. Virat and Rohit are integral parts of the team. But it was important to rest them so that people like Ruturaj Gaikwad could get a chance. It was about giving opportunities to youngsters. I took it deep intentionally, wanted to have some time out in the middle. Had a great chat with Virat before the game, he wanted me to spend some time out in the middle and get used to the 50-over format. Really thankful for him to share that experience with me. Once you hit one ball and get into rhythm things are very different. The ball was doing just a bit. Scoring 350 was always crucial. When you have a total like that, batters chase the ball and if the luck is one your side, batters will nick it. Couple of really good catches by Gill. West Indies woke up very late and there was that partnership that took it to the 34th over. The game was kind of over in the powerplay itself. This was one of the nicest grounds we have played. Things can be better when we come to West Indies next time. Things like travel, hopefully the West Indies cricket board can take note and ensure that there are no hiccups. We don’t ask for luxury but we need some basic necessities taken care of. [On Rohit's part in the series win] Rohit can have the full (trophy).

Shai Hope | West Indies skipper: Hindsight is the best sight as I keep saying. We saw how the wicket was in the back end and I thought we restricted them well enough. We can look back and change many things but it is what it is. We didn't give them a challenge with the ball at the start. 350 was a gettable total on that wicket but today wasn't our day. Anytime you play, you gotta believe you can win. I keep stressing on that same thing - the consistency in attitude and the key is to get the guys together and turn some of these losses into wins. Some days we wake up and play like the best team in the world and some days we just get steamrolled.

Ishan Kishan | Player of the Series: Not so happy with the finishing that I gave. I was supposed to score big after being set. That’s what my seniors told me, I should’ve stayed in and scored big. That’s what I’ll try next time, I’ll get set in the middle and score big. It’s important at this level to get set. It’s important to forget the last game and start from 0. I was thinking of taking it one ball at a time. [On Shubman Gill] He’s a tremendous player, I’ve seen how he middles the ball. Seeing him hitting it out of the middle gives me a lot of confidence as well. Always important to win at this level, the learnings from these games are important. We were looking to get early wickets, and didn't let any ball go. Everyone is looking very positive. I’ve played a few tournaments here and I know how the wickets play here, not really thinking about the next T20 world cup. Focussing on the upcoming tournaments, you know how one tournament can change your life. We’re just focussing on that now.

Shubman Gill | Player of the Match: Very special for me, I was looking for a big score but unfortunately that didn't happen and I'm happy that we ended up on the winning side. It was a good (the pitch), initially the ball was coming on nicely and as the ball got older it became tough to hit. In the last game, I was set and looking for a big one and tried to accelerate, you gotta keep putting the pressure on the opposition as that's how the ODI game have evolved recently. I just try to do my best and not think too much about who's playing or not.

Most consecutive bilateral ODI series wins against a team
13*India vs West Indies (2007-23)
11 Pakistan vs Zimbabwe (1996-21)
10 Pakistan vs West Indies (1999-22)
10 India vs Sri Lanka (2007-23)

Biggest ODI wins for India vs West Indies (by runs)
224 runs Mumbai BS 2018
200 runs Tarouba 2023 *
160 runs Vadodara 2007
153 runs Indore 2011

16:54 Local Time, 20:54 GMT, 02:24 IST: This was surely the best batting surface of the series, but West Indies - it appeared - still seemed to be nursing the Barbados hangover. They just didn't turn up during the chase. After conceding 94 off the last 10 overs, they lost the plot completely. Both openers fell cheaply inside 3 overs and skipper Hope soon followed suit, edging a wide delivery to slip and, gifting Mukesh Kumar his third wicket in just his 4th over. The comeback man, Unadkat, nipped out Carty in his first over and left West Indies reeling at 35/4 at the end of 11th over. Then it was the turn of Thakur who dismissed Hetmyer and Shepherd in quick succession. If it weren't for contributions from Athanze, Cariah and a bit of tail-wagging, the batting card would have looked much worse for the hosts. Stick around for the post-match reactions...

Thakur to Jayden Seales, out Bowled!! No reviews needed for this one. Thakur bowls it straight and Seales only swishes thin air on the wild slog. Knocked over and India win the series 2-1. They win the final ODI by 200 runs. Jayden Seales b Thakur 1(9)

Thakur to Jayden Seales, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!

Thakur to Motie, 1 run, good length on middle and leg, Motie works it to the left of square leg

Thakur to Motie, no run, bumper on the stumps, Motie loses shape while trying to pull and gets beaten on the top-edge

Kuldeep Yadav to Jayden Seales, no run, Jayden Seales given out caught and he is already shaking hands which suggests that he has taken the review just for the sake of it? Oh no! Guess what? There's nothing on the UltraEdge and it will be a not out. The telly umpire checks for lbw and it's umpire's call on impact but since umpire Michael Gough has deemed it not out lbw onfield, it remained not out. Indian fielders circled around the umpire and ready to walk off to the pavilion, but they will have to disperse once again....

Kuldeep Yadav to Jayden Seales, no run, full on off, Seales strides across and blocks to backward point

Kuldeep Yadav to Jayden Seales, no run, tossed up just outside off, Seales leans across and blocks

Kuldeep Yadav to Jayden Seales, no run, looped up on off, Seales jams the drive back to the bowler

Kuldeep Yadav to Jayden Seales, no run, slower and just outside off, Jayden Seales goes back and across to block

Kuldeep Yadav to Jayden Seales, no run, tossed up on off, Jayden Seales prods forward and blocks

Kuldeep Yadav [7.0-2-25-2] is back into the attack

Thakur to Motie, no run, slower back of a length delivery outside off, Motie looks to force it through the off-side and gets beaten on the under edge