The five-match T20 International series between the West Indies and India now hangs perfectly in the balance, after the Caribbean side delivered a commanding performance to secure a 24-run victory over the hosts at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. The win pulls the two sides level at two wins apiece, keeping the West Indies’ title hopes alive with just one decider match remaining.
The West Indies’ batting innings got off to a solid start, with 19-year-old debutant replacement Jewel Andrew joining captain Shai Hope at the top of the batting order. The opening pair built a steady 52-run partnership before Andrew was dismissed for 21 runs, opening the door for the West Indies’ middle order to launch a devastating batting attack. Shimron Hetmyer exploded for 33 runs off just 12 deliveries, while Rovman Powell added a quick 24 runs, and in-form batter Sherfane Rutherford remained unbeaten on 49 off 26 balls.
But it was Hope who earned the highest praise for his historic knock. Taking full advantage of the batting-friendly pitch at the Hyderabad venue, the Barbadian captain produced a masterclass of attacking batting, becoming the first West Indian player in history to notch three centuries in T20I matches. Hope finished his innings unbeaten on 102 runs off just 50 deliveries, powering the West Indies to an imposing total of 247 runs for the loss of three wickets at the end of their 20 overs.
Chasing a mammoth 248 runs to take an unassailable lead in the series, India got off to a promising start, with wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson hitting a rapid 50 runs off 20 deliveries. However, West Indies bowler Keemo Paul turned the tide quickly, removing both Samson and top-ranked T20I batter Ishan Kishan in consecutive overs. Spin bowler Gudakesh Motie then put India in even deeper trouble shortly after entering the attack, claiming the wickets of Indian stand-in captain Abhishek Sharma (29) and Naman Dhir, who fell for a first-ball duck, and came within one wicket of a hat-trick.
India mounted a late fightback through a 70-run stand between batters Nitish Reddy and Tilak Varma, but their resistance was not enough to overcome the West Indies’ disciplined bowling. After Varma was sent back to the pavilion, Paul delivered a match-defining 19th over, taking three wickets in quick succession to end India’s chances of reaching the target. Paul finished the innings with exceptional match figures of five wickets for just 41 runs, cementing the West Indies’ 24-run victory.
With the series now level, the decider match will decide which side takes the series title. For the West Indies, a win in the final match would make them just the second side to defeat India in a home T20I series since the 2024 T20 World Cup, a milestone few international teams have managed to achieve in recent years.