Rahul, Sharma, Kohli help India reach 240-3 in third T20I

MUMBAI: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and skipper Virat Kohli combined to hit 16 sixes as India reached 240 for three in the deciding Twenty20 international against West Indies on Wednesday.

Sharma (71) and Rahul (91) put on 135 runs for the opening wicket to lay the platform for India's imposing total in Mumbai after the hosts were put into bat first with the three-match series tied at 1-1.

Kohli soon joined the party to flay the West Indies attack as he completed his fifty in 21 deliveries and finished on an unbeaten 70 with four fours and seven sixes.

"Hitman" Sharma led the onslaught with an attacking fifty that was brought about with two sixes and a boundary to raise the roof.

Sharma became the first Indian batsman to hit over 400 international sixes with his first of five strikes over the fence. West Indies´ Chris Gayle leads the sixes show with 534 across all three formats.

He finally fell while attempting another big heave to be caught by Hayden Walsh Jr off paceman Kesrick Williams.

Four balls later, skipper Kieron Pollard got wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant trudging back to the pavilion for nought to check India´s surge but Rahul remained firm.

Rahul, who completed his third fifty in the last four T20 innings and hit four sixes in his 56-ball knock, then put on 95 runs with Kohli before getting out in the last over.