India vs WI, 2nd ODI: Axar Patel breaks MS Dhoni's 17-year-old record in series-clinching win

Axar Patel smashed a whirlwind unbeaten 35-ball 64, his maiden ODI fifty, to steer India to a series-clinching two-wicket win over the West Indies in a tense second match in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. 

Set a stiff target of 312, the visitors were tottering at 205 for five in 38.4 overs, but Patel rescued India with his six-hitting prowess, taking the visitors home with two balls to spare on Sunday. 

Needing six runs off the last three balls, Patel clobbered Kyle Mayers straight over his head for a six as India took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Patel smashed five sixes and three fours in his unconquered innings and added 51 off 33 balls with Deepak Hooda (33). 

This was after Shreyas Iyer (63) and Sanju Samson (54) took the chase deep with well-paced fifties. 

Also read: IND vs WI 2022, 2nd ODI: Twitter appreciates Shai Hope's century as Windies posts 311/6

Axar Patel, a bowling all-rounder, known for making pivotal cameos with the willow in the Indian Premier League (IPL), demonstrated his batting prowess in the 50-over format on Sunday at the Queen's Park Oval. He sealed the deal with a massive six in the last over and broke MS Dhoni's 17-year-old record.

The five sixes he hit during the chase is now the most by an India batter at No.7 or lower in a successful ODI chase. Dhoni had recorded three sixes during India's chase against Zimbabwe back in 2005. Yusuf Pathan had equalled Dhoni's tally twice in his career, both in 2011 - against South Africa and Ireland.

Axar Patel's remarkable half-century on Sunday came off 27 balls, making it the second fastest ODI fifty for India against West Indies. Legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev holds the record of smashing the fastest ODI fifty for India against Windies when he reached the feat in 22 deliveries in 1983.

"It's very special, to get it in a crucial, series-winning cause is amazing. When I went out, I aimed for 10-11 an over. We thought it could be done as we have IPL experience," Patel, adjudged man of the match, said. 

"We wanted to be calm and keep cover of the rate. This was special as this is my first ODI since 2017, even my first fifty came here," the all-rounder added.

India skipper Shikhar Dhawan was lavish in his praise for the all-rounder. "The way Axar played was amazing. Our domestic and IPL cricket keeps us ready as we play in front of big crowds. As Axar said, he's done it multiple times in IPL. That brings a big stage." 

(With inputs from PTI)

• Axar Patel
• India vs West Indies 2022
• IND vs WI 2022
• West Indies
• MS Dhoni
• Shikhar Dhawan
• Shreyas Iyer