On August 11, 2019, Virat Kohli produced a captain’s knock as India defeated West Indies by 59 runs via the DLS method in the second ODI at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
Kohli smashed 120 off 125 balls, helping India post 279/7 after being asked to bat first. The match was reduced by rain during the West Indies innings, with the hosts set a revised target of 270 from 46 overs. They were eventually bowled out for 210 in 42 overs as India moved 1-0 ahead in the three-match series.
Virat Kohli’s hundred was the main story of the match. The Indian captain walked in with his side in early trouble after Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma had fallen cheaply. He anchored the innings and then accelerated alongside Shreyas Iyer, who scored an impressive 71 from 68 balls. Kohli’s 120 included 14 fours and one six, and it ended a wait of 11 ODI innings without a century. It was also his 42nd ODI hundred, taking him closer to seven centuries of Sachin Tendulkar’s ODI-record tally of 49.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar stars with four wickets
India’s total of 279/7 gave the bowlers a competitive score to defend, but the rain interruption changed the equation for West Indies. With their target revised to 270 from 46 overs, the hosts needed a quick start. Evin Lewis provided a good start with 65 from 80 balls, while Nicholas Pooran added 42 from 52. However, India kept picking wickets at regular intervals, preventing West Indies from building the kind of partnership required for a successful chase.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the star as he produced a dream spell picking up 4/31 from his eight overs. Mohammed Shami also chipped in with 2/39 as West Indies slipped to 210 all out in 42 overs. India secured a 59-run DLS victory, with Kohli named Player of the Match for his century. The result gave India a 1-0 lead in the series after the first ODI in Guyana had been abandoned without a result because of rain. For Kohli, though, the day belonged to another milestone: his 42nd ODI century had arrived in a match where India needed him to rescue the innings and set up the win. It was a memorable day for the Indian captain.