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Sachin Tendulkar was masterful with the ball © Getty Images

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India took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match one-day series against West Indies after a thrilling 20-run triumph in Cuttack.

The hosts chose to bat first and were restricted to 189 all out from 48.2 overs, man of the match Dinesh Karthik (63) and Ajit Agarkar (40) the only batsmen to emerge with real credit after Daren Powell ripped through the top order.

Chasing 190 under the lights for victory, the Windies could only manage 169, despite the best efforts of opener Shivnarine Chanderpaul - who was the last man out for 66.

West Indies must have fancied their chances after dismissing the home side for a relatively low score, but their hopes suffered an early blow when Chris Gayle was trapped leg before by the first ball of Agarkar’s spell for five.

Devon Smith followed shortly afterwards, run out by substitute Suresh Raina for 15. Smith will count himself unlucky, having turned for a second run only to see Chanderpaul sitting on his bat at the bowler’s end.

Marlon Samuels made just one, caught by Ghambir off Harbhajan Singh at forward short leg.

Dwayne Bravo hit 31 off 33 balls but his quickfire innings came to an end in similar fashion, caught by Ghambir, this time off the bowling of Ramesh Powar.

Runako Morton failed to trouble the scorers before shouldering arms to Powar, bringing Dwayne Smith out to the middle to join Chanderpaul.

The pair shared a 50-run partnership for the sixth wicket before Smith fell, skying Sachin Tendulkar to deep mid-wicket where Powar took the catch.

Ramesh Powar was on form with the ball with three scalps

Powar then bowled Denesh Ramdin, hitting across the line, to leave West Indies 151 for seven.

Ian Bradshaw added two before being totally undone by a turning ball from Tendulkar and chipping the ball to point for a simple third catch of the innings for Gambhir.

Powell was then run out for one, again after confusion with Chanderpaul, who was finally out himself hitting across the line from Zaheer Khan to bring the Windies’ innings to an end 21 runs short of their victory target.

Earlier, Powell was responsible for the majority of India’s top-order failings, the Jamaican seamer finishing with 4-27, his best ODI figures.

Gambhir was the first batsman to fall, caught by wicket-keeper Ramdin after getting a faint edge to a leg-side delivery from Bradshaw.

Sourav Ganguly soon followed his fellow opener back to the pavilion, guiding a short ball from Powell straight into the hands of Morton at short mid-wicket after making 13.

Powell picked up the prize scalp of Tendulkar for a duck to leave India 35 for three, Tendulkar driving to Devon Smith at mid-on.

Rahul Dravid looked good and seemed to have set himself, with 22 from 34 balls, but then fell to a superb slower ball from Powell.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni made six before mistiming the ball back to Smith for a straightforward caught and bowled.

Joginder Sharma added one run to the total on his ODI debut before he became Powell’s fourth victim of the day.

Harbhajan was next to go, playing down the wrong line to a straight ball from Dwayne Bravo to leave the hosts reeling on 90 for seven.

Karthik, at the other end, was playing solidly and, in Agarkar, finally found a partner willing to stick around.

The pair made 62 for the eighth wicket before Karthik’s excellent innings came to an end when he was bowled attempting to guide the ball to third man.

Powar was bowled by Bravo as he hit across the line and Agarkar was the last man out, run out by fancy footwork from Bravo after putting on what turned out to be a vital 26 with Zaheer for the final wicket.