India thrashed West Indies by 125 runs in match no 34 of ICC Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2019. The match kept India as the only team to still remain unbeaten in the tournament and needs just another victory from their three remaining CWC 2019 games to confirm a semi-final berth. The win also helped India to jump to second in the points standings with 11 points from six games. The West Indies after their fifth defeat in seven games have now been knocked out of the tournament even with two league games left to play. Virat Kohli led the Indian batting unit with MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya providing the last flourish, while Mohammed Shami gave India a perfect start with the ball before. He finished with figures of 4/16 to make it eight wickets in two games. Twitterati couldn’t stop praising the Indian pacer. MS Dhoni Fans Lashes Back at Critics After Wicket-Keeper Batsman Finishes Off Indian Innings in Style During IND vs WI CWC 2019.

West Indies came into the fixture needing a victory to stay alive in CWC 2019. They were given a perfect start by Kemar Roach (3/36), who reduced India to 140/4 at one stage but Kohli (72), Dhoni (56) and Pandya smashed the other bowlers around to take India’s total past 250. In reply, none of the West Indies batsmen could get going. They were eventually bowled out for 143 runs to hand India a big 125-run victory. Here is how Twitter reacted to the win.  India vs West Indies, ICC CWC 2019 Stat Highlights.

Watch MS Dhoni's One-Handed Stunner

MS Dhoni put up a complete performance with the bat as well as with the gloves in his hand as India romped to a 125-run victory over West Indies in ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. The big victory not just helped India to climb to second in the team standings but also kept them as the only team yet to lose a game in CWC 2019. Dhoni, who came in to bat with India reeling at 140/4, rescued the team with a vital 70-run partnership with Hardik Pandya (46) before providing the last flourish. But his performance was not just limited there. Later in the match, Dhoni took a stunner to dismiss the dangerous Carlos Brathwaite as West Indies slumped to a heavy defeat.  Twitterati Lauds Team India Following Their Big 125-Run Victory Over West Indies in CWC 2019.

Watch it Again

Dhoni registered his 72nd ODI half-century in India vs West Indies game to help India post 268 runs on board. The Virat Kohli led side, at one stage looked well short and were struggling to get going after Kemar Roach had landed three early blows. But Dhoni, first in the company of Kohli (72) and then Pandya not just helped India gain back the momentum but also finished the innings in style. He took Oshane Thomas for 16 runs in the final over to provide the late flourish which India needed.

A Complete Dhoni Performance!

That was, however, not the end. Later while fielding, the former Indian skipper could be seen constantly guiding both the spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal. He kept on telling them where to pitch the ball and which length to bowl which rewarded team India with vital wickets in the middle overs. Chahal finished with two wickets, while Kuldeep chipped in with one wicket. But the moment that really stood out in the West Indies innings was Dhoni’s one-handed stunner to remove Brathwaite.

Jasprit Bumrah had bowled a length ball which Brathwaite looked to play on the leg-side. But the ball took an outside edge and was flying towards the first-slip cordon when Dhoni leapt to his right and flung out his right hand to hold on to the important catch. Brathwaite had scored a century in West Indies’ previous game against New Zealand nearly winning the match for his side and therefore his wicket was an important one at that moment in the game.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Shami continued his dream start to the 2019 Cricket World Cup with another four-wicket haul against the West Indies/. Shami, who had taken a record hat-trick in India’s previous game against West Indies finished with figures of 4/16 from 6.2 overs to hand India an easy victory in the end.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 28, 2019 12:12 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).