West Indies kept the five-match T20 international series alive with a 24-run victory over India in Hyderabad on Wednesday. Shai Hope’s unbeaten 102 helped the visitors post 247/3, before Keemo Paul took five wickets to end India’s chase at 223. The result levelled the series at 2-2.
Hope Sets India a Target of 248
Asked to bat at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, West Indies scored quickly from the start. Hope and Jewel Andrew added 52 runs in 26 balls before Axar Patel dismissed Andrew for 21.
Hope reached his fifty in 28 deliveries and continued through the innings. Shimron Hetmyer contributed 33, while Rovman Powell added 24. Sherfane Rutherford then joined the captain for an unbeaten fourth-wicket partnership of 91.
Rutherford finished on 49 from 26 balls. Hope, on 90 with two deliveries remaining, hit consecutive sixes to reach 102 from 50 balls. It was his second century of the T20 series and fourth hundred of the tour, including two in the ODI matches.
Paul Stops India’s Fast Start
India began the chase with 60 runs in four overs. Sanju Samson led the early attack, scoring 56 from 23 balls, but Paul dismissed him and Ishan Kishan in the fifth over.
Gudakesh Motie increased the pressure by removing Abhishek Sharma for 29 and Naman Dhir for a first-ball duck on consecutive deliveries. Those wickets interrupted India’s progress after the rapid opening.
Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy kept India in contention with a 70-run partnership. Romario Shepherd ended that stand by dismissing Varma. Paul later removed Reddy for 41, followed by Prince Yadav and Axar Patel, completing figures of 5/41.
Bowling Costs India
India conceded 18 extras, while West Indies hit 16 sixes. Arshdeep Singh and Mayank Yadav each gave away 52 runs in four overs, leaving the hosts with little room for error during the chase.
The teams now head to Bengaluru for the fifth and final T20 international on October 17, with the series level and both sides needing one more victory.
