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Karnataka batter KL Rahul produced a magnificent century in the third ODI against the West Indies, scoring his ninth ODI hundred in a match where he made the most of his long-awaited opportunity. India Vs West Indies 3rd ODI: KL Rahul Smashes 9th ODI Century.
Rahul did not get a chance to bat in the first two matches of the series, leaving him under pressure to cement his place in the Indian team. However, he responded in emphatic fashion, playing a composed and authoritative knock at the New Chandigarh stadium.
The stylish right-hander reached his century in just 80 deliveries, bringing up the milestone in spectacular fashion by launching the fourth ball of the 49th over for a six. Rahul also achieved another significant milestone during the innings, becoming the latest Indian batter to complete 10,000 international runs.
He walked to the crease after India lost their third wicket at 141 runs and stitched together a crucial 65-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Naman Dhir. Rahul reached his half-century in 41 balls before accelerating to a well-deserved century.
Continuing his impressive form, Rahul anchored the innings and added valuable runs with the lower-order batters, helping India comfortably cross the 300-run mark. Rahul made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe in 2016.
Since then, he has played 101 ODIs, scoring more than 3,500 runs in 91 innings at an average of nearly 50. His ODI record now includes nine centuries and 20 half-centuries.
Gill Falls for 1, Kohli Departs for Golden Duck:
India endured a disastrous start in the third ODI against the West Indies at New Chandigarh, losing two key wickets for just four runs after opting to bat first. After winning the toss, young captain Shubman Gill chose to bat with the aim of completing a clean sweep of the three-match series.
However, the hosts suffered an early setback as the West Indies struck twice in quick succession. Gill, who had scored a century in the first ODI and a brilliant double century in the previous match, managed only one run before being dismissed by Jayden Seales.
The disappointment continued when Virat Kohli walked in at No. 3 and was clean bowled off the very first ball he faced, departing for a golden duck in the same over. India’s top order was left reeling after the twin blows, before KL Rahul’s outstanding century steadied the innings and guided the team to a competitive total.
