Brandon King followed up a record bowling spell from Obed McCoy with a career-best half-century to propel West Indies to a five-wicket win over India in the second Twenty20 International yesterday in St Kitts.
With Windies chasing 139 to win, King cracked eight fours and two sixes in scoring 68 from 52 balls and put his team on course for victory at Warner Park before he fell with 32 needed from 27 balls and five wickets in the hutch.
But the familiarity of the ground bred success for Devon Thomas, the Leeward Islands Hurricanes journeyman, and he took the Caribbean side over the finish line from a potentially tricky situation.
West Indies entered the final over needing 10, but the first delivery from rookie pacer Avesh Khan was a no-ball, off which Odean Smith got a single, and that put Thomas on strike for a “free-hit” and eight needed to win.
Next ball, Thomas slapped a short, wide delivery from Khan over extra cover for the last of his two sixes before he formalised the result with four balls remaining when he cut through square cover for his only four in 31 not out off 19 balls. (AR)