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ShareSt Lucia: India are on the threshold of a rare series win. A victory in the fourth and the final ODI against the West Indies on Sunday will not only give them a series win but also banish the bitter memories of a 1-4 defeat in the Caribbean three years ago. Above all it will restore their pride that was battered after the team's premature exit from the World Twenty20 in England last month.
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni brought about the turnaround in the team's fortunes by guiding them to a thrilling six-wicket win here on Friday night. The win gave them an unassailable lead against a side that was primarily responsible for India's early elimination from the World Twenty20. For the record, India lead the series 2-1 after their six-wicket win in D/L method.
Dhoni batted with a lot of intelligence and calculation. His unbeaten score of 46 off 34 balls does not reflect its true worth. The skipper kept his cool in the tense last over when India needed 11 runs. He hit a brilliant six to guide the team to a thrilling win off the penultimate ball.
Having taken an unsurmountable lead, India now have a golden chance to beat the hosts. India can also exploit the fact that the West Indies will be under pressure to save the series.
The last time India had won an ODI series in the Caribbean was in 2002 when Sourav Ganguly led them to a 2-1 triumph in a five-match series. In 2006, Rahul Dravid's India had lost the series 1-4.
Coach Gary Kirsten was all praise for Dhoni. "Someone like Dhoni can hit the ball out of the ground at any time so it was comforting knowing that we had him at the crease controlling the game," said Kirsten. Dhoni, however, praised openers Gautam Gambhir and Dinesh Karthik. "It was a good effort by the openers. Once we get a good start we have the firepower to see the team home," said Dhoni.
Meanwhile, Chris Gayle felt a bit more aggression on the part of his bowlers could have helped the team's cause. Frequent interruptions affected the West Indies momentum too but Ramnaresh Sarwan ensured they registered a competitive 185 for seven from 27 overs. Indians were left to chase 159 from 22 overs by D/L method.
