India’s K. L. Rahul (left) and Rohit Sharma bump fists during their 227-run opening stand against the West Indies (STR)
<p>Visakhapatnam (India) (AFP) – Aggressive centuries by openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul set the stage for India’s 387 for five in the second one-day international against the West Indies on Wednesday.</p><p>The opening pair put on 227 runs as India piled up a formidable total after being put into bat in Visakhapatnam.</p><p>Sharma led the onslaught with 159 off 138 balls, while Rahul made 102 in a must-win game for the hosts who trail the three-match series 1-0 following their loss on Sunday.</p><p>Shreyas Iyer tore into the West Indies attack with a 32-ball 53 as he hit Roston Chase for 31 runs — including four sixes and one four — in the 47th over.</p><p>His partnerships including a 73-run fourth-wicket stand with wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who hit 39 off 16 deliveries.</p><p>Sharma, who was dropped on 70 when Shimron Hetmyer spilled a skier off Chase, was slow out of the blocks but got into his stride after reaching 50 off 67 deliveries.</p><p>The attacking batsman soon overtook his partner, who had raised his fifty in 46 balls, and went on to complete his 28th ODI hundred amid loud cheers from a capacity crowd.</p><p>Rahul recorded his third ODI hundred with a boundary off Alzarri Joseph, but lost his wicket to the paceman four balls later when mistiming a shot to third man.</p><p>Skipper Virat Kohli had a rare flop as he fell for a first-ball duck, giving away a simple catch to mid-wicket off his opposite number Kieron Pollard.</p><p>Sharma, the only ODI batsman to score three double centuries, was unstoppable as he took apart the West Indies bowling with 17 fours and five sixes.</p><p>Nicknamed the Hitman, he Sharma registered his eighth score of 150 plus before edging an incoming delivery from paceman Sheldon Cottrell to wicketkeeper Shai Hope.</p><p>Iyer and Pant then got going as India managed 79 runs from the final five overs.</p><p></p>

Disclaimer: Validity of the above story is for 7 Days from original date of publishing. Source: AFP.