India vs West Indies: West Indies beat India by 24 runs in the fourth T20I on Wednesday. The series is now level at 2-2. The deciding match will be played in Bengaluru on Saturday.
Shai Hope was the star for the West Indies. He scored 102 not out, completing his third T20 century. That is the most by any West Indies batter. He hit nine sixes and four fours. The West Indies made 247 for 3 in their 20 overs. India won the toss and chose to bowl first.
This was the second-highest first-innings total against India in T20 cricket. England had made 257 for 3 in Southampton earlier this year.
West Indies went past 200 with the help of Hope. Hope and Rutherford added 91 runs off just 43 balls. India were given a slow over-rate penalty in the final over. Nitish Reddy conceded 19 runs in the 20th over. Hope reached his century with a six off the last ball.
India’s chase did not go well. Sanju Samson scored 56 off 23 balls and hit four sixes. He and Abhishek Sharma added 60 runs off 25 balls. India were 80 for 2 in the powerplay.
Keemo Paul struck twice in the fifth over. Samson was caught at square leg. Three balls later, Ishan Kishan was caught at deep midwicket for six. India also lost captain Shreyas Iyer for 16 before the halfway mark. They were 97 for 3.
Abhishek Sharma scored 29 off 24 balls. He hit three fours and one six. His dismissal was the turning point. He was caught off Gudakesh Motie at long off in the 12th over. Motie also had Naman Dhir stumped for a golden duck.
Tilak Varma fought hard with 43 off 25 balls. Nitish Reddy made a quick 41 off 20 balls. But their efforts were not enough. Paul took three wickets in the 19th over to end the innings. India finished on 223 in 19.3 overs. Keemo Paul finished with 5 for 41, competing his second five-wicket haul in T20 cricket.
3 Things Team India Must Do To Beat the West Indies
India go into the final India vs West Indies T20I with the series tied at 2-2. The match is in Bengaluru. To win, India needs to fix three clear problems.
1. Bowl better in the powerplay
In the last match, India’s new-ball bowlers let West Indies get off to a fast start. Arshdeep Singh could not find his line or length. His yorkers were not sharp, and his slower balls were easy to read. Mayank Yadav had pace but not control and bowled too short. West Indies coach Daren Sammy said that to beat India in India, a team must win both the batting and bowling powerplays. India lost that battle. Arshdeep was Player of the Match in the game before, so he can do better. India need early wickets. The most important wicket is Shai Hope. He has two centuries in this series and is the biggest danger.
2. Find a reliable fifth bowler
India did not have a dependable fifth bowling option in the last game. Naman Dhir bowled one over and gave away 19 runs. Nitish Kumar Reddy conceded 39 runs. With Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah missing, the attack looks thin. Hanuma Vihari warned about this before the series. He said Arshdeep is the only reliable bowler and India cannot depend only on batting. In Bengaluru, India should either give Naman Dhir a full four-over spell or find another part-time bowler who can get through the middle overs without leaking runs. The fifth bowler cannot cost 50 or more runs.
3. Convert starts in the middle overs
India’s top order has scored quickly, but the middle order has not made big scores. In Ranchi, India made 249 but lost the match. In Indore, they were 115 for 1 and then lost their way. Two run-outs made it worse. West Indies’ spinners, especially Roston Chase, have made things difficult between overs 7 and 15. India have not kept the momentum going. The problem is not talent. Sanju Samson made a fast fifty in the last match but did not bat deep. Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy shared a 70-run partnership, but neither went on to make a big score. India need one batter to stay at the crease and play a long innings, just like Shai Hope has done for West Indies.
FAQs
Q. Is the India vs West Indies T20I series tied?
A. The series is tied at 2-2 after the West Indies won the fourth T20I by 24 runs.
Q. Who was the top scorer for West Indies in the fourth T20I?
A. Shai Hope scored an unbeaten 102 off 54 balls.
Q. How many wickets did Keemo Paul take against India?
A. Keemo Paul took five wickets for 41 runs.
Q. When will the fifth India vs West Indies T20I take place?
A. The deciding match will be played in Bengaluru on Saturday.
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