West Indies v India Second T20 Betting: Can Windies make it fourth time lucky?

Ed Hawkins
04 August 2019

Pollard's back

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Cricket correspondent Ed Hawkins tries to make sense of the home team's poor showing in game one ahead of the rematch on Sunday...

"There would have been traders up and down the land who had pencilled these Florida matches in for bumper hauls and the question now is whether to treat it as a fluke"

West Indies v India
Sunday 4 August, 15:30
TV: live on Sky Sports

Windies so disappointing

West Indies appear to be going for some sort of record. How many appalling batting displays can they manage consecutively? Their last three scores in this format now read 95, 71 and 45. For a team which boasts such pure natural talent that is unforgiveable.

Evin Lewis and John Campbell, the openers, both made ducks. Nic Pooran threatened briefly and only wily Kieron Pollard stuck around. Pollard made 49 as just he and Pooran made it into double figures.

It is difficult to know what was most confusing about the performance. That it came on an absolute road? Or that it came against India's second string bowling attack?

The hosts will take heart that they managed to claim six India wickets. Sunil Narine and Sheldon Cottrell proved a potent mix of spin and pace.

India find a new hero

In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, the big winner for India was Navdeep Saini. Saini's pace claimed three wickets to, essentially, end the game as a contest. It was some performance.

He had been a net bowler on tour before an international debut which is marked down in the rare category. He managed a wicket-maiden in the 20th. That's unheard of.

Saini's emergence is one for the notebook. As a Bangalore Royal Challenger he could grow and mature into a bowler who bucks their flaky trend in the field. But for now, India appear to have added another potent pacer to a bristling attack.

Now they will hope that Washington Sundar, who opened the bowling and set the tone, can do something similar. Big things are expected of Sundar and India are hopeful he can become a significant threat with the ball and also lengthen their batting.

There's a possibility India could shuffle their top order. Rohit Sharma, for example, might be given a rest for KL Ragul to have a hit.

Nothing wrong with the pitch

Before game one, the average first-innings score was 170 at this ground. The 2016 meeting between these two saw 489 runs scored. So you can see why West Indies' implosion was such a surprise. It's tempting to think that, in terms of the wicket, that was a one off and someone is going to go big but if the Windies bat first they can't be trusted. India should bust 180 and decent prices should be available at around 1.855/6.

Trade possible on hosts

We were quite keen on the Windies in game one given the history of the pitch and the whopping 72% toss bias for the side batting first. But to say they were a letdown is an understatement. There would have been traders up and down the land who had pencilled these Florida matches in for bumper hauls and the question now is whether to treat it as a fluke.

The rationale answer is to ignore it and retain faith. West Indies are 2.9015/8 and they really should be capable of getting those numbers down. India are not much fun at 1.501/2.

For an interest, then, have a nibble on those big Windies numbers and look for an out at odds-on. It is probable that, bowling first, Windies will be chunkier at the break but that is the nature of the pre-toss advice line.

Pollard pretty

Pollard top scored for the first time in two years. That sounds a more dramatic statement than it actually is because it was only his fifth match. Batting at No 4, though, instead of further down as he does in franchise cricket, means he is a fair shout at 7/2 by Sportsbook. Lewis and Pooran at 12/5 and 10/3 also catch the eye.

Watch for Rahul

Keep an eye on that Rahul price for top India bat. Sportsbook go 7/2 and we've got an inkling he might be involved. As usual, Virat Kohli heads the lists at 5/2. But it was Rohit who top scored -again - for India in game one, albeit with a paltry score. He gets a 13/5 quote.

Ed Hawkins P-L

2019: +30.03pts
2018: +23.53pts
2017: +12pts
2016: +18.1pts
2015: +38pts
2014: +31.5pts
2013: +25pts
Based only on available prices. Does not include back-to-lay in-running match advice or commission rate. Figures 2013-2016 on 1pt level stakes. New points system (0.5pt-5) introduced for 2017. Includes Hawk-Eye stats column p-l