West Indies Triumph Over India by Six Wickets in Thrilling T20 Match
West Indies defeated India by six wickets in a thrilling T20 match in Ranchi, leveling the series at 1-1.
Ranchi, October 9 (Daily Kiran) : The West Indies showcased a remarkable performance, defeating India by six wickets in the second T20 International match held at the JSCA International Cricket Stadium in Ranchi. Chasing a daunting target of 250 runs, the West Indies reached their goal in just 18.3 overs, losing four wickets in the process.
The chase did not start well for the West Indies, as Kieron Pollard was dismissed for just four runs. Shimron Hetmyer faced a similar fate, getting clean bowled by Mayank Yadav on the very first ball. Rovman Powell managed to score 24 runs off 13 balls but became Yadav’s third victim, leaving the West Indies struggling at 58 for three.
However, captain Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford steadied the innings with a remarkable partnership. Together, they put on a stunning 120 runs for the fourth wicket in just 54 balls. Rutherford dazzled with a blistering 84 runs off 37 deliveries, hitting seven fours and seven sixes before being dismissed. Hope remained composed at the other end, forming a strong alliance with Romario Shepherd after Rutherford’s departure.
The duo added an unbroken 74 runs for the fifth wicket in just 26 balls. Hope completed a century, finishing with an unbeaten 102 runs off 45 balls, while Shepherd contributed a quick 34 runs off 13 balls. On the bowling front for India, Mayank Yadav stood out with three wickets.
Earlier, India batted first, scoring 249 runs for the loss of five wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Sanju Samson was the star performer with the bat, scoring 82 runs off 41 balls, including nine fours and four sixes. Abhishek Sharma could not capitalize on a good start, making only 20 runs off 12 balls. Ishan Kishan added 43 runs off 22 balls, while Shivam Dube managed just seven runs.
In the final overs, Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma took charge, putting together a crucial partnership of 83 runs for the fifth wicket in 32 balls. Iyer scored 40 runs off 18 balls, while Varma remained not out on 44, hitting three fours and three sixes. For the West Indies, Roston Chase was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Shamar Springer took two.
With this victory, the West Indies have leveled the five-match T20 series at 1-1.
