Skipper keeps WI Hopes alive as India fall Shai of target in T20

Shai Hope led from the front with an unbeaten 102 to guide the West Indies to a series-levelling 24-run win over India in the fourth T20 international on Wednesday.

West Indies posted 247-3 in Hyderabad, powered by skipper Hope’s blistering 50-ball knock and his unbroken 91-run stand with Sherfane Rutherford, who finished on 49 not out.

Keemo Paul then led the bowling charge with figures of 5-41 to bowl out India for 223 as West Indies bounced back to level the five-match series at 2-2, setting up a decider on Sunday in Bengaluru.

In reply, Sanju Samson got India off to a strong start with his 23-ball 56 but the West Indies bowlers struck regular blows to keep India in check.

Medium-pace bowler Paul struck twice in the fifth over to dismiss Samson and then Ishan Kishan in the space of four balls.

Skipper Shreyas Iyer struggled for momentum before he fell to Shamar Springer for 16.

Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie also took wickets in one over, removing opener Abhishek Sharma for 29 before Naman Dhir was stumped for a first-ball duck.

With India needing around 14 per over to win the game, Tilak Varma, who hit 43, and Reddy (41) attempted to pull things back in their quickfire partnership worth 70.

Romario Shepherd had Varma caught and then Paul struck thrice in an over, including the wicket of Reddy, to claim his second five-wicket T20 haul and shut down India’s chase.

Number 10 Arshdeep Singh retired hurt after getting hit on his shoulder by a Shamar Joseph bouncer and India’s innings folded in 19.3 overs.

Earlier, Hope continued his prolific run-scoring on the tour of India with another century as the visitors raced to 247/3 in 20 overs against India in the fourth T20I at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday, putting the hosts under pressure with an explosive start to their innings.

Hope and Sherfane Rutherford (49 off 26*) continued their impressive partnership against India, adding an unbeaten 91 runs for the fourth wicket in Hyderabad to register the second-highest fourth-wicket stand for West Indies in T20 Internationals.

Their effort is behind their own record of 120 runs, set during the previous T20I in Ranchi, while Dwayne Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer’s 103-run partnership against Australia in Gros Islet in 2021 remains the second-best before the Hyderabad stand.

Shai Hope also crossed the 2,000-run mark in T20 Internationals with the six he struck off the final ball of the innings, becoming the fourth West Indies batter to reach the milestone. He joined Rovman Powell (2,400), Nicholas Pooran (2,275) and Brandon King (2,028) in the elite list.

West Indies also posted their second-highest total against India in T20Is, reaching 247/3 in Hyderabad. Their highest total against India remains the 252/4 scored in Ranchi earlier in the tour, while their previous best before these two outings was 245/6 in Lauderhill in 2016.

Hope raised his 50 off only 28 balls, and after his latest 50+ score on tour, he joined Chris Gayle at the top of the West Indies’ list of most fifties and scores of 50 or more in T20Is with 16.

The right-hander already had three centuries this tour and looked to be in good touch as the visitors kept up an impressive rate after being put in.

West Indies kept up their free-flowing batting style in the series by chalking up their third successive 200-plus total after being asked to bat first in the fourth T20I against India at Hyderabad.

Visitors got off to a blazing start thanks to Shai Hope and Jewel Andrew, taking 79/1 in the powerplay - their highest in the first six overs versus India in T20I.

Hope and Andrew put on 56 in a third-wicket stand to build West Indies’ charge to 118/2 after the mandated halfway mark, with the bowlers not able to slow down the scoring rate.

Jewel Andrew started the ball rolling with a brisk 21 off 16 balls, and Hope ensured momentum was sustained. India’s wayward bowling also proved costly to visitors, as they gave away 13 extra runs in the first six overs of the game.

Agencies