With the three-match ODI series between India and the West Indies balanced at 1-1, the last game will act as a virtual final.
Barabati Stadium. (File Photo: IANS)
IND vs WI 3rd ODI: Match Preview
After getting whitewashed in their own backyard, West Indies have come hard against India and played all the matches on equal footing. The Kieron Pollard-led side were fiercely competitive in the Twenty-20 International (T20I) series and are displaying the same intent in the One-Day International (ODI) series as well.
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The Windies batting unit, led by the likes of Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmeyer, Nicholas Pooran and Pollard himself, have been the fighting force for the team from the Caribbean islands. They will be hoping to put on display the best of their skills in the last match to win a memorable series.
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The wickets used the four matches, three T20Is and the two ODIs, have had very little to offer to the bowlers and as a result, the visiting bowlers are yet to put on display their best bowling ability. But they have done a commendable job, given the opponent is the one best batting side of the world.
For India, much has come into the light that needs to be assessed before next year’s T20 World Cup. One thing that has been a long headache for team management is the middle-order woe. Every time the top-order collapse, team India tend to lose the match eventually.
After losing the first match, the Men in Blue bounced back riding on a stupendous display from the openers, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, who put up a 227-run partnership.
The ODI series has also given India’s middle-order headache a much-needed relief. While Shreyas Iyer has already established himself as the number four, Rishabh Pant is also coming to the terms after a rough phase.
The Indian bowlers also seemed to have raised their ante after a mediocre display in the first ODI. Mohammed Shami led the pace battery with example and Kuldeep Yadav has hit the form again as he became only the second Indian to take two ODI hat-tricks.
IND vs WI 3rd ODI: Match Preview
The weather in the Cuttack is expected to be a pleasant one with no chance of rain whatsoever. However, according to the weather forecast of Accuweather, it can get cloudy during the evening period but the clouds will not possess much threat.
The temperature in Cuttack is expected to vary to some extent. While the maximum is expected to hover around 28 degrees Celcius, minimum can come down to 18 at the closing hours of the match.
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