Kuldeep Yadav reached the 200-wicket milestone in ODIs during India’s second ODI against West Indies in Guwahati on Wednesday, September 30. However, the spinner’s landmark moment was followed by a costly fielding error that denied debutant Auqib Nabi a chance to claim his maiden ODI wicket.
Kuldeep completed his 200th wicket by dismissing Keacy Paul, becoming only the second-fastest Indian bowler to reach the landmark. He later made a major misjudgement in the deep while Nabi was bowling to Shamar Joseph, allowing the West Indies batter to collect two runs.
Kuldeep Yadav becomes the second fastest to 200 men’s ODI wickets for India
Kuldeep Yadav had already picked up two wickets when he returned for his 10th over. His first breakthrough came when Shai Hope attempted a cross-batted shot off a slot delivery but edged it high towards deep backward point. Auqib Nabi completed the catch, giving Kuldeep his first wicket of the innings.
The spinner then reached the 200-wicket mark in his 123rd ODI. In the 46th over, he tossed the ball up around middle and leg to Keacy Paul, who tried to hit it down the ground. The batter could not get the elevation he wanted and picked out <a href="https://cricket.international/virat-kohli-rises-to-no-2-after-west-indies-masterclass/" title="Virat Kohli Rises to No. 2 After West Indies Masterclass”>Virat Kohli at long-on.
Kuldeep Yadav barely celebrated the milestone as West Indies had already put India under considerable pressure. His achievement placed him second on India’s list of fastest bowlers to 200 ODI wickets.
Fewest ODIs to 200 wickets for India
Kuldeep Yadav has also reached the landmark faster than several leading spinners when measured by balls bowled.
Fewest balls to 200 ODI wickets among spinners
https://x.com/45kennyat7PM/status/2105280735393570958
Kuldeep’s memorable day took an unfortunate turn late in the West Indies innings when he misjudged a catch off Auqib Nabi’s bowling.
Nabi bowled a full delivery to Shamar Joseph in the 49th over, with the batter slicing the ball towards the backward-point region. Kuldeep initially ran back while facing the boundary but then changed direction midway.
He eventually overran the ball completely. The opportunity fell in front of him, while Kuldeep also lost his footing and hit the back of his head on the ground. Fortunately, he appeared to be fine after the incident.
On the last ball of the 49th over, Joseph sliced the full delivery over backward point, but Kuldeep could not judge the trajectory correctly and failed to complete what was a catching opportunity.
The missed chance added to Nabi’s difficult ODI debut. The fast bowler finished with 8.5-0-84-0, conceding the most runs by an Indian bowler on ODI debut. He surpassed Karsan Ghavri’s previous mark of 83 runs against England at Lord’s in 1975. Nabi’s economy rate of 9.51 was also the worst for an Indian bowler on ODI debut among those to bowl at least 30 balls.
West Indies register their highest-ever ODI score as Amir Jangoo and others shine
West Indies posted 405/7, their highest ODI total against India and their highest-ever ODI score. The innings was powered by centuries from John Campbell, Shai Hope and Amir Jangoo.
Campbell smashed a century from 65 balls, Hope scored 104 from 94 balls, while Jangoo made 114 from 77 deliveries. Jangoo’s innings included 13 fours and three sixes.
Highest ODI totals against India
438/4: South Africa, Wankhede, 2015
411/8: Sri Lanka, Rajkot, 2009
405/7: West Indies, Guwahati, 2026
389/4: Australia, Sydney, 2020
Jangoo reflected on the historic innings after West Indies’ batting display, crediting Campbell and Hope for setting up the platform.
“Yeah, it’s an amazing feeling. The boys we went out there today with our game plan. We know where we went wrong in the first game, and luckily enough we executed.”
He also explained how he approached batting at No. 4 after the West Indies reshuffled their order.
“To be fair, it’s whatever role the team has for me. I found out today that everyone was to go up one, which meant that I was batting at number four. So for me it was all about playing the situation.”
Source: cricketaddictor.com
