West Indies Level Series Against India with Victory

A destructive century from captain Shai Hope and a career-best bowling performance from Keemo Paul powered West Indies to victory over India, levelling the ongoing five-match T20I series at 2-2.

The impressive win at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad has set up the final match of the series in Bengaluru as a virtual final.

After losing the toss and being asked to bat first, West Indies got off to a flying start through openers Shai Hope and Jewel Andrew. The duo added 52 runs in just 26 balls. Although Andrew fell to Axar Patel for 21, the visitors maintained their scoring momentum. Hope brought up his half-century off just 28 balls as West Indies reached a commanding position of 118 for two in the first 10 overs.

After Shimron Hetmyer contributed 33 and Rovman Powell added 24, Hope and Sherfane Rutherford launched a late assault. The pair stitched together an unbeaten 91-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Rutherford remained unbeaten on 49 off 26 balls, hitting four fours and three sixes.

Meanwhile, Hope continued his outstanding form on the ongoing tour, producing one of the finest innings of his T20I career. He brought up his century by smashing consecutive sixes off the final two balls of the innings. It was his second century of the ongoing T20I series and his fourth across the tour, including both the ODI and T20I formats.

West Indies finished their 20 overs at a formidable 247 for three.

Chasing a daunting target of 248, India made a flying start, racing to 60 runs in the first four overs. Sanju Samson, in particular, raised hopes for the hosts with a blistering 23-ball 56. However, Keemo Paul turned the game around in the fifth over, dismissing both Samson and Ishan Kishan, who scored six, to bring West Indies back into contention.

Spinner Gudakesh Motie then struck twice in successive deliveries, removing Abhishek Sharma for 29 and Naman Dhir for a duck. As a result, India struggled to build a substantial partnership in the middle order.

Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy subsequently attempted to revive the chase, but their efforts proved insufficient against Paul’s incisive bowling. Paul claimed the second five-wicket haul of his T20I career, finishing with a memorable performance.

West Indies eventually bowled India out to seal a magnificent victory under Hope’s leadership and level the series at 2-2.