Axar Patel fires maiden ODI fifty as India clinch series against West Indies

Axar Patel scored his maiden One-Day International fifty as India pulled off a thrilling last-over victory by two wickets to clinch the series against the West Indies on Sunday.

The southpaw coshed an unbeaten 64 from 35 deliveries with five sixes and three boundaries as India chased down the target with two balls to spare.

India lead the series 2-0 with the third ODI to be played on Wednesday.

Earlier, Shai Hope marked his 100th one-day international with an assured 115 in pacing the West Indies to a competitive 311 for six batting first.

Hope's 13th ODI century, just his second in the Caribbean, was decorated with eight fours and three sixes.

He received good support from Nicholas Pooran as the home captain stroked 74 in a 117-run fourth-wicket partnership with the opener.

Kyle Mayers, West Indies' top-scorer in the first match two days earlier which India won by just three runs, again set the pace with a brisk 39 in an opening stand of 65 with Hope. Shamarh Brooks (35) then played his part in another 65-run partnership to lay the platform for a second consecutive 300-plus total by the home side.

Seam bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur was India's leading wicket-taker with three for 54, removing Pooran, Rovman Powell and then Hope to peg back their opponents who were on course for a total closer to 330.

Both teams made one change from the first ODI with injured left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie replaced by wrist-spinner Hayden Walsh for the West Indies, while India omitted Prasidh Krishna and gave a debut to fellow pacer Avesh Khan.

Brief scores:

India beat West Indies by two wickets.

West Indies: 311-6 in 50 overs (Shai Hope 115, Nicholas Pooran 74, Kyle Mayers 39, Shamarh Brooks 35; Shardul Thakur 3-54)

Target: 312

India: 312-8 in 49.4 overs (Shreyas Iyer 63, Axar Patel 64 not out; Sanju Samson 54, Shubman Gill 43, Deepak Hooda 33, Alzarri Joseph 2-46, Kyle Mayers 2-48)

Toss: West Indies

Next match: Wednesday