In a dramatic reversal of fortunes at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, the West Indies cricket team posted a formidable total of 195-4 against India in their crucial Super Eights finale at the ICC T20 World Cup on Sunday. The Caribbean side, having been asked to bat first, unleashed a devastating assault in the final overs to keep their tournament hopes alive.
The match witnessed strategic innovation from the West Indies management, who surprisingly promoted Test captain Roston Chase to open alongside T20 skipper Shai Hope. This tactical move allowed the inclusion of additional spinner Akeal Hosein, with regular opener Brandon King being omitted from the lineup. The reimagined opening partnership proved substantially more resilient than their previous performance against South Africa, where they had collapsed to 83-7.
Chase and Hope established a solid foundation with a 68-run partnership before Hope was bowled by spinner Varun Chakravarthy for 32, triggering an explosive response from the capacity crowd of 67,000. The momentum continued with Shimron Hetmyer’s rapid 27 off just 12 deliveries before he fell to a barely detectable edge off Jasprit Bumrah.
The game’s critical turning point arrived when Sherfane Rutherford departed cheaply, bringing together Jason Holder and Rovman Powell at the crease. The duo orchestrated a breathtaking counterattack, plundering 70 runs from the final five overs in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 76. Powell finished unbeaten on 34 from 19 balls, while Holder remained not out on 37 from 22 deliveries, their partnership featuring five sixes and five fours collectively.
India’s fielding performance proved uncharacteristically substandard, with three straightforward catches going down, including a reprieve for Chase when he had scored only 15 runs. The defending champions now face the challenging task of chasing 196 runs to advance in the tournament.
The victor of this high-stakes encounter will progress to face England in Mumbai on Thursday for a semi-final berth, while the defeated team will be eliminated from competition. Earlier on Sunday, tournament favorites South Africa maintained their unbeaten record with a five-wicket victory over Zimbabwe, securing their place against New Zealand in Wednesday’s first semi-final, with the championship final scheduled for Ahmedabad next Sunday.