Cricket rarely offers guarantees, as demonstrated during the final one-day international between India and West Indies in New Chandigarh. Just a match after crafting a historic milestone with the bat, veteran batter Virat Kohli suffered a dramatic reversal of fortunes, exiting on the very first delivery he faced without scoring. His dismissal for zero via a comprehensive clean bowled left the top order rattled after India chose to set a target in the series decider.
Double Blow in the Third Over
Action commenced at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, where India opted to bat first after winning the toss. The West Indian seamers struck decisively in the third over of the innings. Captain Shubman Gill fell on the third ball of the over, bringing Kohli to the middle under early pressure. On the fourth delivery, Kohli was walking back alongside his captain, putting India on the back foot almost immediately.
Breaching the Defence at 136.5 kmph
West Indies fast bowler Jayden Seales produced an incisive full-length delivery clocked at 136.5 kmph, which shaped slightly back into the right-hander. Kohli advanced forward aiming to execute a flick shot across the line. In the process, a notable gap appeared between his bat and pad. Seales' inward trajectory exploited that opening perfectly, knocking the middle stump out of the ground in spectacular fashion.
From Series-Opening Century to First-Ball Exit
The dismissal silenced the stadium spectators who had gathered expecting another milestone century. Instead, Kohli had to absorb the bitter outcome of a golden duck. Having launched the ODI series with a hundred and etching his name in history books in the earlier fixture, the senior batter concluded the campaign on the lowest possible individual score.
