India beat WIndies by 96 runs, sweep ODIs

India have crushed West Indies with a 96-run victory in the third one-day international to sweep the series 3-0 and give Rohit Sharma, their new white-ball captain, the ideal start.

Shreyas Iyer scored 80 off 111 balls and Rishabh Pant smashed 56 off 54 to propel India to 265 all out after the hosts won the toss and chose to bat first in Ahmedabad on Friday.

In reply, West Indies were bowled out for 169 in just 37.1 overs.

India made a poor start by losing both Sharma (13) and Virat Kohli, caught behind for a two-ball duck, in the fourth over, with Alzarri Joseph (2-54) dismissing them in the space of three deliveries.

It marked another disappointing series for the former captain and batting great Kohli, who hasn't scored an international hundred since November 2019. He had scores of 8, 18 and 0 in three innings in this series.

Odean Smith (1-36) dismissed Shikhar Dhawan to reduce India to 3-42 but Iyer, who hit nine fours, and Pant, six fours and a six, added 110.

Pant reached his fifth ODI half-century off 47 balls, while Iyer scored his ninth half-century off 74 deliveries.

"I am flexible to bat at any number. But given the current situation, four is a good number," Iyer said.

With the middle order clicking for a change, India looked set for a near-300 score but Hayden Walsh took 2-59 while getting rid of both Pant and Iyer.

Washington Sundar (33) and Deepak Chahar (38) added a quick-fire 53 off 51 balls for the seventh wicket as Jason Holder (4-34) mopped up the lower order.

In reply, West Indies' batting collapsed for a third straight time, the visitors being reduced to 7-82 in 18.3 overs.

India inflicted early blows with pace, Deepak Chahar (2-41) striking twice in the fifth over to remove Brandon King (14) and