Kohli, Pant help India clinch T20 series against Windies

Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant hit attacking half-centuries to set up India's eight-run series-clinching victory over West Indies in the second T20I on Friday.

Chasing 187 for victory, West Indies finished on 178 for three despite a threatening century stand between Nicholas Pooran (62) and Rovman Powell (unbeaten 68 off 36 balls) in Kolkata.

SCORECARD | India v West Indies - 2nd T20

India, who whitewashed the West Indies 3-0 in the preceding one-day matches, took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20 series.

Pooran, a left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman, smashed five fours and three sixes in his 41-ball knock before falling to pace bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar in a four-run 19th over.

With 25 needed off the final over, Powell attempted a final onslaught with two sixes off Harshal Patel but the bowler held his nerve.

Off-spinner Roston Chase took three wickets after West Indies elected to bowl in skipper Kieron Pollard's 100th T20I but Pant's unbeaten 52 steered India to 186 for five.

The Indian batting wobbled after Kohli's 52 but Pant, who hit an unbeaten 52 off 28 balls, and Venkatesh Iyer put on 76 runs for the fifth wicket to boost the total.

Pace bowler Sheldon Cottrell got Ishan Kishan caught behind for two after the left-handed opener's struggle at the crease in a 10-ball stay.

Skipper Rohit Sharma and Kohli rebuilt the innings in their partnership of 49 with the former captain coming in all guns blazing with a string of boundaries.

Chase sent back Rohit for 19 and then caught and bowled Suryakumar Yadav for eight.

Kohli, who had scores of eight, 18 and nought in India's 3-0 ODI sweep of West Indies and then 17 in the opening T20 win, overcame a brief lull to smash his 30th T20I fifty.

He raised his 50 with a six off Chase,