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Sixth ODI, Jodhpur: India 202-7 (46.2 overs) beat West Indies 201 (46.3 overs) by three wickets

All-rounder Sanjay Bangar kept his head under pressure to see India home and square the series at three wins each.

Bangar hit two through mid-wicket to clinch victory after the home side had made heavy weather of chasing a relatively modest traget on a slow wicket.

He finished with 37 not out but Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh also played a crucial role, scoring half centuries to revive India after they had been reduced to 48 for three.

The two teams will meet again at Vijaywada on Sunday in the series decider.

Absent skipper

India went into the game without captain Sourav Ganguly, who is suffering from a back problem.

Murali Kartik takes a wicket
Kartik's accuracy frusrated the batsmen

But Dravid proved an able deputy in the field as the free-scoring West Indies batsmen were stifled.

Wavell Hinds managed only a single from 28 balls before he became the first of three victims for Ajit Agarkar.

Photos from Jodhpur

West Indies then slumped to 74 for four as left-arm spinner Murali Kartik justified his selection at the expense of Anil Kumble with figures of three for 36 from 10 overs.

Having scored three centuries in previous games, Chris Gayle was trapped lbw for 27 by Kartik, who then bowled Marlon Samuels and Ramnaresh Sarwan.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul's more patient approach brought him 58 and captain Carl Hooper lifted the scoring rate with 38 off 29 balls as the tourists managed to scrape past 200.

Early setbacks

India also made a poor start as Vasbert Drakes accounted for Dinesh Mongia (five) and Virender Sehwag (18) with the new ball.

VVS Laxman followed for seven in the 13th over when he was caught off Pedro Collins, but sensible shot selection by Dravid and Yuvraj rebuilt the innings.

They put on 99 in 20 overs before being dismissed in successive overs, as the balance tipped back towards West Indies.

Yuvraj made 54 off 64 balls and Dravid scored 58 before he was caught off Drakes, who finished with three for 38.

Mohammed Kaif (15) helped add 29 for the seventh wicket but they were still 25 short of their target when he was out to Collins.

Bangar, however, was unflustered as he made 32 off 38 balls to steer them home with more than three overs to spare.

India: Rahul Dravid (captain), Virender Sehwag, Dinesh Mongia, Vangipurappu Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammed Kaif, Sanjay Bangar, Reetinder Sodhi, Ajit Agarkar, Murali Kartik, Javagal Srinath.

West Indies: Carl Hooper (captain), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ricardo Powell, Ridley Jacobs, Vasbert Drakes, Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore.

Umpires: Asoka de Silva (Sri Lanka), K.Hariharan; third umpire: I.Sivaram

Match referee: Mike Procter (South Africa)


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