India against West Indies clashes has given us many close games over the years. Some have gone India’s way, while some West Indies’. The quality of cricket between the two sides though, has always been high. India have now packed their bags as they prepare to face West Indies in 5 ODIs and a one-off T20I.
Let’s have a look at the top 5 India vs West Indies limited overs matches.

⦁ India vs West Indies – Ahmedabad, 2002

It was the 4th ODI of the series and India were coming off a victory in the third game after losing the first two. It was a must-win clash for India to keep the momentum going. The hosts won the toss and opted to field, in a bid to restrict West Indies and then chase down the total. Chris Gayle was making his mark in international cricket then, and was dealing in centuries in that series. India needed his wicket but the opener didn’t stop. He went on to score 140 and Sarwan fell one short of his maiden international hundred, finishing on an unbeaten 99 as the visitors posted 324 on the board.

All India needed was a solid foundation and Virender Sehwag to fire at the top. The swashbuckling opener couldn’t get going and India lost his early wicket. Saurav Ganguly, too, departed after a quickfire 28 off just 16 balls. India were in trouble and needed a partnership. The duo of Dravid and Laxman came up trumps yet again as they added 103 runs between them to put India back on track. However, a run out meant West Indies were favourites yet again. Laxman departed after his fifty but Dravid went on to smash a magnificent century. The required run rate kept rising though, but a terrific partnership between Sanjay Bangar and Dravid did the trick as India chased down the total and won by 5 wickets. The partnership was a highlight as chasing 300-plus totals at the time wasn’t the norm. It was a special victory for India. The unbeaten 94-run stand off just 66 balls is still regarded as one of the best partnerships in chases for the hosts. West Indies were shocked and India levelled the series 2-2. It was also India’s third highest run-chase then.

⦁ West Indies vs India – Kingston, 2006

India won the first ODI of the series with one ball to spare and were looking to make it 2-0. They were on track as they held West Indies to 198 in the 50 overs. For West Indies, it was Ramnaresh Sarwan yet again who smashed an unbeaten 98 this time. There was plenty of drama in the first innings, too – India had appealed for a run out when Brian Lara tried to take a quick run but when the fielders appealed, the square-leg umpire Billy Doctrove was nowhere to be seen, as he was tending to sightscreen issues. The ball was called dead. However, when the replays were shown, Lara had made it in anyway. Left-arm seamer Irfan Pathan did the damage with the ball as he grabbed 3/45 in his spell as others chipped in with wickets at regular intervals.

India’s start wasn’t a promising one as they lost early wickets. Yuvraj Singh churned out a special knock, smashing 93 runs when the second highest-scorer was Suresh Raina with his 27. It went right down to the wire when India needed 10 runs off the last five balls with one wicket in hand. Yuvraj smashed two fours off two balls but a terrific slower yorker by Dwayne Bravo proved threatening enough for Yuvraj as he saw the bails fly and West Indies won the game by a single run.

⦁ India vs West Indies, semi-final – Mumbai, WT20 2016

It was the all-important second semi-final of the 2016 World T20 and two strong teams locked horns when they met each in Mumbai. The hosts got off to a promising start when local boys Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane laid the foundation. Both of them, however, departed in the 40s but a Virat Kohli masterclass followed.  The run machine, following up from his marvellous knock against Australia, came up with another special knock. Kohli smashed an unbeaten 89 off just 47 balls as India posted 192 runs on the board.
West Indies possessed plenty of batting firepower within their ranks and weren’t fuzzed. With someone like Chris Gayle to open the innings, confidence wouldn’t be deterred. The Caribbean side though, were reduced to 19/2 as the required run rate climbed over 10. Lendl Simmons however, was running his luck. The number 4 for West Indies was caught off a no ball not once but twice and continued to merry, eventually finishing on an unbeaten 82 off just 51 balls.
Things would get tricky towards the end of the innings for West Indies. Jasprit Bumrah started the 18th over with a hat-trick of dot balls, but Simmons’ response was emphatic! The right-hander kept whacking the ball into the stands. West Indies now needed 32 off 14 balls and Andre Russell’s 43 off 20 was instrumental to power them to another final.

⦁ Benson & Hedges World Series, India vs West Indies – Perth, 1991

Of the 116 encounters between India and West Indies, only one game was tied. Bizarre? The game was indeed one of its kind. West Indies put India to bat first and they managed to bat till the 48th over, having struck a paltry two boundaries. How often does it happen that when a team bats till almost the end but with only two boundaries to their credit. The batsmen were finding it tough and it was the West Indian bowlers who were making the ball talk. Ravi Shastri’s 33 off 110 balls was the highlight for India as there was constant pressure from the Caribbean bowlers. India only put up a meagre 126 on the board and needed a strong comeback with the ball.
India got off to the best possible start when Haynes was gone off the first ball off a Kapil Dev delivery. Since then, India kept chipping in with wickets regularly. West Indies were reduced to 76/8 at one stage and India were sensing a win. However, a lower-order contribution from Ambrose and Cummins brought them closer to the target, but West Indies eventually fell short of crossing the line when Sachin Tendulkar took the final wicket of Cummins to tie the game.

⦁ India vs West Indies, World Cup final, 1983

It was the biggest game in Indian cricket history! India battled against all the odds to make it to their first world cup final. The final obstacle on their road to becoming champions, came in the form of a formidable West Indies side – who were looking to complete a hat-trick of World Cups. Against all odds, the Indian players had displayed an entertaining brand of cricket – a side which is looking to always improve. But they were up against the strongest cricket team back then. West Indies had put India into bat first, giving their bowlers a chance to have a go against the Indian batsmen when there was something for the pacers early on at Lord’s. Sir Andy Roberts got the big wicket of Sunil Gavaskar but Kris Srikkanth and Mohinder Amarnath stitched together a promising stand. Srikkanth hooked Robers for a four and then pulled one for a six. Soon all this was brought to a halt as the West Indies bowlers came back hard and eventually restricted India to just 183.

During the chase, West Indies lost their opener Greenidge cheaply. Sir Viv Richards looked threatening as usual and was taking the game away from India with a breezy knock. However, we would soon witness one of the finest moments in world cup history. When he was on 33, he mistimed his hook and Kapil Dev fielding at mid-wicket ran backwards. The Indian captain kept his eye on the ball and took a magnificent running catch – a one-of-a-kind catch back then. Dujon and Marshall didn’t give up though, but Amarnath’s timely wickets towards the end meant India lifted their first world cup and created history. An absorbing day of cricket, India were crowned as the champions and it simply changed the perspective of the game in India.

India’s upcoming tour of West Indies promises to be a nail-biting contest. The Men in Blue will start off as favourites but the Caribbean side have the potential to cause an upset.