West Indies ended India's 11-game winning streak at home with a 16-run victory in the third one-day international today to keep the series alive after fast bowler Ravi Rampaul's four-wicket haul.
Rampaul took 4-57 to help bowl out India for 244 in 46.5 overs in reply to West Indies' total of 260-5 at Sardar Patel Stadium. It was the hosts' first ODI loss at home since going down to South Africa in the group stage of the World Cup in March. India, which won the opening two matches, was led by Rohit Sharma's fluent knock of 95 as he resurrected the innings from 105-6 in the 21st over.
He smashed 10 fours and a six in 100 balls to keep the match in the balance until he was the second last man out in the 44th over. Sharma, who struck 72 and 90 not out in the previous two games, put on a 91-run stand with Ravichandran Ashwin (31) before being run out by a direct throw from West Indies captain Darren Sammy.
"It was a good fight back from the boys especially the spell from Rampaul and debutant (Sunil) Narine,'' said Sammy, who had earlier dropped Sharma and Ashwin. "Sharma tried to take the game away but we stuck at it.''
India was on the back foot early in the chase when Rampaul dismissed captain Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir for ducks with the first two balls of the second over of the innings. Sehwag was caught behind dangling his bat outside off stump while Gautam Gambhir was trapped lbw shouldering arms to a ball that moved in sharply for India to slip to 8-2.
After spinners Marlon Samuels and Narine had taken a wicket each, Rampaul dismissed Suresh Raina (2) caught behind down the leg side in a doubtful decision with replays suggesting the ball had touched the thigh pad. Rampaul also dismissed Abhimanyu Mithun in another spell to seal victory.
Earlier, Sammy and allrounder Andre Russell put together a rollicking 79-run unbroken stand to propel the visitors after a slow start. Sammy clobbered 41 off 17 balls and Russell smashed 40 off 18 to boost the total after Samuels had made 58. Sammy and Russell were helped by some wayward bowling as Mithun went for 23 runs in the 49th over and Umesh Yadav for 20 in the 50th.
"When the two big-hitters, Russell and Sammy, were batting it was difficult for us as they were connecting well,'' Sehwag said. "I told my boys to bowl as many yorkers as they could, but they not do it.''Sammy finished with two sixes and five fours while Russell struck two sixes and four fours during a fruitful partnership that also included some smart running by the pair.
The two built on the good work of Samuels, who steadied the innings with a 93-ball knock of 58 that included five fours and a six. Samuels, who smashed two consecutive fours off Mithun and later belted Yadav for a six and two fours in an over, was out after the powerplay in the 33rd over when he tried to create space on the off side but was bowled by spinner Ashwin.
Denesh Ramdin (38) and Kieron Pollard (29) were others to contribute to the score. Vinay Kumar was the pick of India's bowlers with 2-39 while Yadav was the most expensive, conceding 75 in nine overs.