When was the last time India chased a 300-plus total in an ODI at home?

Team India beat Australia 2-1 in the recently concluded three-match ODI series and will go into the upcoming World Cup 2023 as the number-one ranked team in ODIs.

After two comfortable wins in the first two matches at Mohali and Indore, respectively, Team India failed to chase a target of 353 set by Australia in the third ODI at Rajkot, losing the game by 66 runs.

This was the first time in almost four years that India were chasing a target of over 300 at home. The last time India were set a target of above 300 in an ODI at home was against the West Indies on December 22, 2019.

The said encounter was at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack and was the final ODI of a three-match series, which was level at 1-1.

Batting first, West Indies scored 315 runs for the loss of five wickets in 50 overs. Nicholas Pooran and the then-skipper Kieron Pollard smashed half-centuries for the visitors. Pacer Navdeep Saini was the most successful bowler for the hosts, picking up two wickets and conceding 58 runs in his 10 overs.

The target of 316 was a challenging one for Team India. Openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul started the chase briskly and added 122 runs for the first wicket before the former perished for a run-a-ball 63. Rahul followed soon after, getting dismissed for 77 by Alzarri Joseph.

The trio of Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant and Kedar Jadhav were dismissed cheaply for scores of 7,7 and 9 respectively, with India reduced to 228 for five. But then-captain Virat Kohli steadied the ship and smashed nine boundaries in his match-winning innings of 85.

He added 58 runs for the sixth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja but was dismissed when India still needed 30 runs from 23 balls. Shardul Thakur ensured that there were no further hiccups, scoring 17 runs off six balls to guide India to victory.

Virat Kohli was named Player of the Match for his match-winning knock.

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