Joy of six

Thiruvananthapuram: A ruthless India completed a nine-wicket demolition of the West Indies in the fifth and final ODI here Thursday for their sixth successive series win at home.

Left-arm spinner c took four wickets to help India bundle out the West Indies for 104 in just 31.5 overs.

Pacers Khaleel Ahmed and Jasprit Bumrah chipped in with two wickets each.

The home team took just 14.5 overs to reach the paltry target, courtesy an unbeaten 99-run stand between Rohit Sharma (62 off 54) and captain Virat Kohli (33 off 29), following another low score from Shikhar Dhawan.

It was a complete surrender from the West Indies, who let themselves down after competing hard in the first three ODIs. The previous game at Mumbai too was dominated by the hosts before they romped to a 3-1 series win here. India last a lost a series at home in 2015, when they went down 2-3 against South Africa.

The hosts wasted in no time completing the 105-run target after the bowlers laid the foundation of a massive victory. Rohit continued his fine form, notching up a half-century, in the process going past the 1,000-run mark for the calendar year 2018 and also hitting his 200th six in ODIs.

The India vice-captain had a lucky escape when he was caught behind by Shai Hope off Oshane Thomas’ bowling on 18.

He made most of that reprieve as he hit five boundaries and struck five imperious sixes. Kohli too was solid at the other end and his innings comprised six fours.