West Indies Opt to Bowl First in Third T20 Against India
In the third T20 match, West Indies won the toss and chose to bowl first, while India made two changes to their playing XI.
Indore, October 11 (Daily Kiran) : The third T20 International match between India and West Indies is underway at Holkar Stadium in Indore. West Indies captain Shai Hope won the toss and invited the Indian team to bat first.
After winning the toss, Hope stated, “I think we all know what I’m going to do; we will bowl first again. Playing across all formats is challenging. In these conditions, it’s essential to learn as quickly as possible. We always know that catches can decide many matches. Romario is fine, but he is resting. Keemo Paul has replaced Akeal Hosein in the lineup.”
The Indian team made two changes to their playing XI for this match. Nitish Kumar Reddy replaced Shivam Dube, while Prince Yadav came in for Kuldeep Yadav. After losing the toss, captain Shreyas Iyer emphasized the importance of adapting to conditions. “In the last match, dew played a significant role. Sometimes that happens, so we must forget about it and focus on moving forward. It’s crucial to adjust quickly to the situation to set a good score. Shivam Dube is out, and Nitish Reddy is in. Prince is playing in place of Kuldeep. Given the size of the ground, we made these changes and needed a player who could handle yorkers well.”
The five-match T20 series is currently tied at 1-1. In the second T20, Indian batsmen delivered an impressive performance, with Sanju Samson scoring a powerful 82 runs and Ishan Kishan finding good form. Captain Shreyas Iyer contributed 40 runs, while Tilak Varma remained unbeaten at 44. However, the bowlers struggled to defend a target of 250 runs, with Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav proving expensive.
On the other hand, the West Indies excelled in the second T20, with Shai Hope playing a crucial role in leading the team to a historic victory with a century. Sherfane Rutherford also displayed great form, scoring 84 runs off just 37 balls. Nevertheless, the performance of the West Indies bowlers was disappointing.
India’s playing XI includes: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Axar Patel, Mayank Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, and Prince Yadav.
West Indies’ playing XI features: Shai Hope (wicketkeeper/captain), Kamil Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Quentin Sampson, Keemo Paul, Roston Chase, Shamar Springer, Shamar Joseph, and Gudakesh Motie.
