Patel was on fire as India clinched the series against WI in the second ODI

Akshar Patel hit an unbeaten 64 off 35 balls, his maiden ODI fifty, as India sealed a sensational series win over the West Indies by two wickets in the second game here.

Set a stiff target of 312, the visitors collapsed to 205 for five in 38.4 overs, but Patel’s six-hit prowess revived India’s attack and sent the visitors home with two balls to spare on Sunday.

Needing a six off the last three balls, Patel hit Kyle Meyers for a six straight over the bowlers’ heads to give India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Patel smashed five sixes and three fours in his unbeaten innings and added 51 off 33 balls with Deepak Hooda (33) to keep India in the hunt.

This was after Shreyas Iyer (63) and Sanju Samson (54) tried to take the chase deep with fine fifties.

Earlier, choice of batsman Shai Hope’s masterclass 117 off 135 balls while captain Nicholas Pooran showed his big-hitting prowess with six maximums and a four during his 77-ball 74 as West Indies posted 311 for six.

In reply, Shubman Gill (43) hit five boundaries in his 49-ball innings to give India a good start, while skipper Shikhar Dhawan (13) was solid at the other end.

The Indian skipper was the first to depart as Meyers took a brilliant catch at third man off the bowling of Romario Shepherd.

Meyers then pulled India back with two quick wickets, first dismissing a well-set Gill and then Suryakumar Yadav (9), who was once again pulled to his stumps.

Iyer and Samson put on a 99-run partnership from 94 balls to take the chase deep, but after both departed, India needed 105 from 11 overs.

It was Patel’s performance after that as he kept fighting despite losing Hooda and Shardul Thakur.

Earlier, Hope played the perfect anchor as he added 65 runs with opener Meyers (39) and another 62-run partnership with Shamar Brooks (35).

Hope found his perfect ally in skipper Pooran as the duo shared a 117-run partnership.

Out cheaply in the first ODI, Hope hit 115 off 135 balls, hitting eight fours and three maximums.

For India, the spin duo of Patel (1/40) and Hooda (1/42) were frugal, but Yuzvendra Chahal (1/69) was expensive as he exploded with six sixes and two fours.

Mohammad Siraj (0/47) bowled well, while Avesh Khan (0/54 in 6 overs) made his ODI debut and Thakur (3/54) returned the favor with three wickets.

Hope looked in full flow as he played some brilliant shots on the offside before reaching the three-figure mark with a six in the 45th over in his 100th ODI game.

Earlier, Meyers tore through debutant Avesh, hitting him for back-to-back boundaries in the fourth and sixth overs, the Indian pacer, guilty of bowling too full and short, conceding 36 runs in his first three overs.

Meyers didn’t escape Thakur as he sent his first two balls for a four and a six but Siraj kept things tight in his opening spell.

Hooda made the first breakthrough as Meyers hit his first delivery straight to the bowler.

Brooks and Hopes looked to build a partnership with Hooda and Patel bowling as they scored just 42 runs from the 11th over to the 20th over.

Chahal was a late introduction to the attack and was taken to the cleaners in the 21st over as Hope and Brooks hit a six and a four.

But Dhawan brought back Patel and he produced a wicket-maiden to get rid of Brooks, the Indian skipper taking a low catch.

Brandon King mistimed his slog sweep with another blow from Chahal as WI slumped to 130 for three.

Pooran took his time early on and then used his feet against the spinners, especially Chahal, to deliver some big shots.

Hope also hit three boundaries and slog-swept Chahal for a six to reach his fifty.

200 in the 38th over as Pooran unleashed two maximums. The West Indies captain blasted his way to fifty in the 39th over with two sixes by Chahal.

Pooran, down on one knee, hit Patel for another six, sending Avesh over the ropes for his sixth maximum, but Thakur bowled around his legs to make the crucial breakthrough.

Hope blasted Chahal for two sixes in two balls leading to his century, while Rovman Powell (13) and Romario Shepard (14) played some sharp knocks to take the hosts past the 300 mark.

West Indies scored 93 runs in the last 10 overs.