Vijayawada, Nov 24: Failing to rework the magic that has seen them pull off amazing victories in recent past, India crashed to a humiliating 135-run defeat in the seventh one-day international here today to lose the series against West Indies 3-4.
Playing without Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar, the Indians collapsed under the pressure of a mighty West Indies total of 315 for six to suffer their first tournament defeat this year. The team, which had successfully chased 320-plus totals twice this year - one just a couple of days back in this very series - was shot out for a mere 180 in 36.5 overs in the first one-sided match of the series. Man-of-the-match Marlon Samuels, who came up with a swashbuckling unbeaten knock of 108 off just 75 balls with ten fours and five sixes, and Jermaine Lawson, who rocked the Indian innings with four early wickets, were the stars of the day which saw the team setting the target winning for the first time in the series.
The victory helped West Indies avenge their 0-2 loss to India in the test series earlier on this tour and also the 1-2 defeat in the one-dayers at home earlier this year.

Bureau Report