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CHENNAI: India wrapped up a convincing 4-1 series win over West Indies on Sunday after an impressive century by fringe batsman Manoj Tiwary helped the home side to a 34-run victory in their final one-day international.
Tiwary seized his opportunity as India made a slew of changes to its side, slamming a fine 104 before he had to retire hurt due to cramps. His knock, supplemented by Virat Kohli's 80, guided India to a challenging 267-6 after electing to bat on a pitch with uneven bounce.
In reply, the West Indies was all out for 233 in 44.1 overs, with Kieron Pollard's valiant 119 giving India some tense moments. Pollard smashed 10 sixes and four fours in his 110-ball knock and was the last man out.
His maiden century in 52 games was by far the most entertaining knock of the series and had threatened to wipe out the good work done by Tiwary and Kohli.
''We know what Pollard can do on his day, but credit to the bowlers who stuck to their game as it was a matter of just one ball,'' India's stand-in captain Gautam Gambhir said. ''It was good to see Manoj Tiwary get a hundred and also to test the bench strength.''
Tiwary, who has been pushing for a regular place in the India side for over three years, slammed 10 fours and a six during the superb knock in his sixth ODI.
A prolific batsman in first-class cricket but who has never hit a century in any domestic limited overs game, Tiwary got to the three-figure mark with a leg glance off Sunil Narine before breaking into a celebration.
He was involved in two key partnerships, adding 117 runs for the fourth wicket with Kohli (80) after having laid the foundations with Gambhir (31).
Tiwary and Gambhir, who led the side as Virender Sehwag was rested following his world record score of 219 in the previous game, steadied the innings with an 83-run stand for the third wicket.
The West Indies reply started on the wrong note as seam bowler Irfan Pathan trapped Lendl Simmons lbw with the first delivery of the innings and also removed other opener Kieran Powell (15) a little later.
Fellow new-ball bowler Abhimanyu Mithun had Marlon Samuels caught behind for 6 and trapped Jason Mohammed for 2 as the West Indies was reduced to 36-4 in the 10th over.
But a 91-run stand for the sixth wicket between Pollard and Andre Russell boosted West Indies' hopes. Russell, who was dropped twice by wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel during his 37-ball innings, smashed five fours and three sixes before he was run out by a direct throw from Gambhir.
Russell's departure led to another slide, even as Pollard tried to keep up the fight in the company of tailenders.
''Congratulations to Pollard on his first one-day hundred, which was really good to watch,'' West Indies captain Darren Sammy said. ''We have been paying good cricket and fighting throughout, everybody expected us to roll over, but we didn't.''
Pollard was fortunate to reach the century mark as Kohli, at long-on, dropped an easy catch off leg-spinner Rahul Sharma when he was on 99.
Apart from Sehwag, India also rested off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and pace bowler Vinay Kumar, bringing in batsmen Tiwary and Rahane along with Pathan.
The West Indies replaced Ravi Rampaul and Danza Hyatt with Martin and Jason Mohammed. Left-handed batsman Darren Bravo missed a second successive game due to a hamstring injury.
India played the entire series without regular captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and star batsman Sachin Tendulkar, both of whom were rested.
Allrounder Yuvraj Singh had ruled himself out at the beginning of the series because of a lung illness. India won a preceding three-test series 2-0.
