India's pace battery led by Arshdeep lands crushing blow on West Indies

Lauderhill (Florida), Aug 7 (IANS) Young India pacers, Avesh Khan and Arshdeep Singh, bowled with discipline as the visitors thrashed West Indies by 59 runs to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match T20I series here on Sunday (IST).

On a day when wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant (44) and Sanju Samson (30) along with skipper Rohit Sharma (33) gave the visitors an imposing 191 to defend, the lanky Arshdeep grabbed three wickets, while Avesh took two as the West Indies innings folded up for just 132 in the final over of their innings to help India clinch the series.

India had earlier made a clean sweep of the three-match ODI series.

India skipper Rohit Sharma showed no signs of the back spasm he had battled during the third game of the series as he helped the visitors get off to a flourishing start in Florida alongside fellow opener Suryakumar Yadav.

The duo reached 50 without loss in the fifth over, with Sharma in particular displaying his attacking intent by smashing three sixes during a breezy innings that netted 33 runs.

Scoring was tougher for India during the middle overs, but Pant (44) and Sanju Samson (30 not out) batted sensibly when required to ensure India posted 191/5.

India perhaps had done their homework on Obed McCoy as the West Indies pacer was smashed all over the park conceding 66 runs in his four overs, just five days after picking up a record-breaking six-wicket haul.

In the second game of the series on Monday McCoy collected the best figures ever by a West Indies bowler in a T20I (6/17), but that seemed ages ago as India's batters pummelled the pacer.

Sharma and Yadav took 25 from McCoy's first over, before Axar Patel contributed two massive sixes in the penultimate over of the innings to complete a forgettable outing for the quick.

The Caribbean side were going to need one of their top-order to score big to have any chance of overhauling India's score, but it never eventuated as West Indies continually lost wickets and never seriously threatened the victory target.

Skipper Nicholas Pooran and middle-order batter Rovman Powell top-scored with 24 runs apiece, with inexperienced pacer Arshdeep Singh (3/12) running through West Indies' tail to ensure the series-clinching victory.

It was a clinical performance from India's strong bowling line-up, with Avesh Khan (2/17), Ravi Bishnoi (2/27) and Axar (2/48) all chiming in with two wickets apiece.

Brief scores: India 191/5 in 20 overs (Rohit Sharma 33, Rishabh Pant 44, Sanju Samson 30 not out; Obed McCoy 2/66, Alzarri Joseph 2/29) beat West Indies 132 in 19.1 overs (Avesh Khan 2/17, Axar Patel 2/48, Arshdeep Singh 3/12, Ravi Bishnoi 2/27) by 59 runs.