22nd January 1988: Carl Hooper Blitzkrieg Stuns India in Gwalior

Cricketnext Staff | Updated: January 22, 2019, 12:21 AM IST

On this day in 1988, a blitzkrieg from Carl Hooper ensured West Indies had more than enough on board to help them to a 73-run win over India in Gwalior, thereby taking a 5-1 lead in the seven-match series.

Opting to field first, India would have been over the moon when Mohinder Amarnath had Sir Viv Richards caught by Sanjeev Sharma for 33 to have the tourists 103 for 4 but a 108-run stand between Gus Logie and Hooper steadied them before the former departed.

Hooper ensured he converted his start into a magnificent ton, finishing with an unbeaten 113 in just 97 balls with 12 hits to the fence and a couple over them to take his side to 278 for 6 in their allotted 50 overs.

In reply, India's innings never got going and were tottering at 8 for 134 before Ravi Shastri hit a 72-ball 73 laced with 11 boundaries and a maximum but could not prevent India from getting bowled out for 205 as he was stranded at one end.

On This Day (1988): West Indies scored 67 runs off their last 5 and 1/2 overs vs India. Carl Hooper smashed 57 of it. http://t.co/pK0v1FofIk

— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) January 22, 2014

Patrick Patterson finished with four wickets but Hooper was rightly awarded the Man of the Match as it he who plundered 57 runs in the last five overs while batting which ensured India never came back in the game.