PORT OF SPAIN: Opener Shai Hope showed his class with a superb century as skipper Nicholas Pooran went on a six-hit spree as West Indies produced a strong batting display to post 311 for six against India in the ODI second here on sunday.
Hope, who was dismissed cheaply in the first ODI, played the anchor role to perfection as he added a 65-ball 55 for the opening wicket with Kyle Mayers (39), before faking another 62 with Shamarh Brooks (35).
While Mayers and Brooks showed promise, Hope found his perfect ally in captain Pooran, who showed his big-hitting prowess during his 74-ball 77 with the help of six maximums and a four.
The two shared 126 balls for 117 runs. Hope built his innings well with 115 runs, focusing on partnership building and exploded in the end. His 135-ball knock consisted of eight fours and three maximums.
The spin duo of Axar Patel (1/40) and Deepak Hooda (1/42) were the best bowlers on display, while Yuzvendra Chahal (1/69) was very scalped but was expensive.
Mohammed Siraj (0/47) was good but Avesh Khan had a forgettable ODI debut, while Shardul Thakur (3/54) turned in a three-wicket haul after conceding 13 in the first over.
Hope looked in full flow as he played some brilliant shots at the opposite end before reaching three figures in his 100th ODI with a six in the 45th over.
Electing to bat, Mayers and Hopes got West Indies off to a good start by attacking the opposition first.
Mayers clashed with debutant Avesh, hitting him for back-to-back boundaries in the fourth and sixth overs, while the Indian pacer, guilty of bowling too full and short, ended up conceding 36 in three overs his first.
Thakur was not spared either as Mayers sent his first two balls for a four and a six, but Siraj kept things tight in his opening spell. Hooda produced the first breakthrough with Mayers hitting the first delivery straight to the bowler.
Brooks and Hopes then looked to build a partnership with Hooda and Patel playing together, targeting the stumps.
The spin duo did well to tighten things up as WI managed just 42 from their 10th over in their 20th over. Chahal was sent to the cleaners in the 21st over with Hope and Brooks smashing a six and a four.
But Dhawan brought back Patel and he produced a maiden to get rid of Brooks with the Indian skipper taking a low catch.
Chahal redeemed himself in his next over as he induced a high edge from Brandon King, who paid the price for going for a sweep too early in his innings. Pooran and Hope then brought up 150 in the 28th over.
The opener took the initiative, picking three boundaries and also swept Chahal for a six to reach his fifty. Pooran also came down the track to produce two maximums as the 200 was up in the 38th over.
The Windies captain exploded in the 39th over with two sixes off Chahal on both sides of the ground en route to his half-century.
When Patel was introduced, Pooran, down on one knee, hit him for another six to bring up their 100-run stand in the 42nd over. Pooran then sent Aveshi over the ropes for his sixth maximum but Thakur hit him around the legs to break the partnership.
Hope then hit two sixes in two balls off Chahal en route to his century, while Rovman Powell (13) and Romario Shepherd (14) played some lusty shots to take WI past the 300 mark. WI piled up 93 runs in the last 10 overs.
