Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant Fifties Set Up India's Series-Clinching Win Over West Indies In 2nd T20I

Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant hit fifties while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel produced superb bowling in slog overs as India survived some anxious moments before walking out with an eight-run win over West Indies in the second T20I that handed them an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series in Kolkata on Friday. Chasing a stiff 187, wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran (62 off 41 balls) and Rovman Powell (68 not out from 36 balls) hit belligerent fifties to keep them in the hunt as they needed just 29 runs from the last two overs. But death bowling specialist, Bhuvneshwar Kumar revived India's hopes by removing the dangerous-looking Pooran with a slower off-cutter.

Under pressure after he dropped Rovman Powell off his own bowling, Bhuvneshwar was brilliant and conceded just four runs in the over.

Needing to defend 25 in the final over, Patel was hit for two consecutive sixes but he held his nerves to seal the issue for India.

This was India's 100th win in T20Is as they sealed the series with one match to go on Sunday.

Earlier continuing his impressive run in his debut series, Ravi Bishnoi dismissed Brandon King (22) in his third delivery to break the second-wicket stand.

But Pooran and Powell looked without any trouble against the Indian attack.

Wicketkeeper-batter Pooran continued his impressive form to smash a second successive half-century, while Powell gave a fine support at the other end with a 28-ball 50 as the Windies recovered from being 59/3 inside nine overs.

Dropped on 21 by Bishnoi in the 10th over, Pooran brought up his fifty in 34 balls -- his second in as many games -- with a slog over off Deepak Chahar's final over.

Powell then completed a 28-ball fifty as India looked under real pressure