"People saying ODI cricket is dead are just dead inside" - Fans erupt as Axar Patel's incredible one-man show hands India thrilling win in 2nd IND vs WI ODI

Axar Patel seemed to be in his zone as whatever he tried seemed to come off the middle of the bat. (P.C.:Getty)

Indian all-rounder Axar Patel played the best knock of his white-ball career so far in the second ODI against West Indies at Port of Spain on Sunday (July 24). His incredible unbeaten 64 off 35 balls took the Men in Blue over the line and gave them an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

The 28-year-old walked out to bat when the game seemed to have almost slipped out of the visitors' hands. However, he found the middle of his bat right from the get-go and played some outrageously good shots to keep India in the game.

Despite running out of partners at the other end, Patel paced his innings to perfection. He stayed at the crease until the very end to ensure the visitors won their 12th consecutive ODI series against the Caribbean outfit.

Fans on Twitter were ecstatic, but also in disbelief as they saw Axar Patel almost come of age as a batter with this incredible knock. Some feel that he will now provide tough competition to Ravindra Jadeja for the No. 7 spot in the Indian white-ball team.

One fan also felt the match proved why one-day cricket can still serve up some nerve-wracking contests amidst fans and pundits questioning the format's future:

"An innings for ages for Axar Patel. What a game. People saying ODI cricket is dead are just dead inside."

An innings for ages for Axar Patel. What a game. People saying ODI cricket is dead are just dead inside.

Here are some more reactions:

Axar Patel's match winning innings last night. Just fantastic, what a knock. https://t.co/rttgpMlmAF

Axar Patel is the hero of India, need 6 from 3 balls and he smashed a six. What a knock, Axar. https://t.co/CjyNF87Iv3

Axar Patel came when India need 114 runs from 74 balls and then he smashed 64* from 35 balls - He has improved a lot with bat in this year. https://t.co/d3Yu2AH0o8

All of us to Axar Patel now. https://t.co/1F4HLvDaf8

Axar Patel
With Bat - 64* runs
With Ball - 1 Wicket

Last time, An Indian player Scored 50 runs + picked 1 wicket in WI ODI match

Sachin Tendulkar (57* & 1/1 in 2007)

#INDvWI

Man that’s got to hurt players and fans. Still work to be done on death bowling and batting tempo. But little improvements happening. Good pitches. Congrats to India on a series win and Axar Patel for a brilliant knock✊🏽.

Axar Patel’s knock was one of the finest knocks that you’d see in a run-chase. The clarity of thought. The confidence with which he managed the chase…’incredible’ is falling short to define it. Brilliant, Bapu 😊😊

Axar Patel brilliance! And what a way to finish the game! Another edge of your seat ending! Thrilling stuff. #WIvIND

Doubt white-ball batsman Jadeja plays this Axar knock😂. Would have been getting partners on strike

Axar Patel! You've played the knock of your life time! What a game! 🙌

Axar's best batting form prior to this came in 2019, incidentally in the Caribbean while playing for India A. Came close to scoring a hundred iirc and played a stunning knock much like this one. Talk about a poetic circle eh? #WIvIND

That's a Klusener-like performance from Axar. He will remember that for a long time. And he has every reason to. Terrific innings. Good show from the tailenders too. After a long time, a chase of 300+ that was thrilling to watch. #WIvIND

That surely is Axar Patel's coming of age innings as a batter in international cricket. What a knock!

"This is a special one. It came Crucial time and also helped the team to win the series." - Axar Patel

If he gets his batting right consistently, Axar can be priceless for India in a subcontinent world cup in the Thakur slot.

Bapu 🔥🔥🔥
Axar patel has done it for INDIA 🇮🇳
What an innings
What a player
He grabbed the win from west indies .
We lead the series by 2-0💙
#WIvIND
#CricketTwitter #AxarPatel https://t.co/ucmDxqOHvB

AXAR PATEL HAS DONE IT!!!!!!! OH MY GOD!!!!! WHAT A FINISH!!!!

Axar Patel outbatting Hooda is not good signs. Hopefully Hooda can get his power game and timings right. twitter.com/criccrazyniks/…

Indians to score unbeaten fifties while batting at 7 or lower positions in successful ODI run chases :-

Md Kaif (87*) vs 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 at Lord's, 2002
MS Dhoni (67*) vs 🇿🇼 at Harare, 2005
Axar Patel (64*) vs 🏝️ at Port of Spain, today
#WIvsIND

Axar Patel's innings has come out of nowhere!
Don't think anyone expected him to bat this well.
#WIvIND

Axar Patel Bapu What An Innings!!! Very Well Deserving Player Of The Match Award For Today’s Game 👏👏👏👏👏

#INDvWI

Axar Patel has shown great improvement in his batting since the New Zealand Tests last year. Now, that improvement is there for everyone to see with this knock. 64 off 35 balls when the chips were down. WHAT AN INNINGS! 🙌 #WIvIND

no way axar patel has now won more odi matches with bat for India than jadeja has done in over 10 years

Axar Patel was smart enough to pick the bowlers he wanted to attack

Earlier, Shreyas Iyer (63) and Sanju Samson (54) put up a 99-run stand to help India recover from 79/3. However, the duo departed in quick succession. India were still in the chase, but the probability of a win seemed to be diminishing.

Deepak Hooda struggled to find the middle of the bat and it was important for India to take on left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein. Axar Patel did the job really well as he smashed a couple out of the ground to gave India's chase some much-needed momentum.

Hooda and Shardul Thakur were guilty of losing their wickets to loose shots but their dismissals didn't faze Patel. He batted well with the tail and got a bit of help from debutant Avesh Khan, who smashed a couple of boundaries.

Patel finally pumped Kyle Mayers straight down the ground with six needed off three balls to ensure that his maiden ODI half-century came in a winning cause.