Hope’s ton, Keemo’s fifer help West Indies level T20 series

Hyderabad: Keemo Paul’s 5 for 41 followed Shai Hope’s unbeaten 102 as a clinical West Indies beat India by 24 runs in the fourth T20I to level the five-match series 2-2 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Wednesday.

The fifth and final T20I will be played on Saturday at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Sanju Samson struck a 23-ball 56 at the top but India fell way short in the run chase, getting bowled out for 223 in reply to the West Indies’ 247 for three.

Earlier, Shai Hope produced a stunning unbeaten century, completing the landmark with a six off the final ball, as West Indies piled up 247 for three, exposing the hosts’ bowling frailties.

Hope smashed 102 off just 50 balls, while Sherfane Rutherford provided the finishing flourish with an unbeaten 49 off 26 deliveries as the visitors dominated India’s attack after being asked to bat.

West Indies struck 16 sixes and benefited from 18 extras, with India’s bowlers struggling for consistency throughout the innings. Mayank Yadav and Arshdeep Singh conceded 52 runs apiece in their four overs.

Hope’s century was his second of the series, fourth on the tour and third in T20Is, underlining his outstanding form. He shared an unbeaten 91-run stand off 43 balls with Rutherford to propel the visitors to a formidable total.

The West Indies made a blistering start, racing to 79 for one in the powerplay, equalling the joint-highest six-over score against India in T20Is. New Zealand had posted the same total in Trivandrum earlier this year.

The visitors also reached 100 in just 7.4 overs, matching their own record against India in Lauderhill in 2016, when they had achieved the milestone without losing a wicket.

Hope dictated terms from the outset, bringing up his half-century in 28 balls. It was his second fifty of the series and 14th in T20Is. At the other end, Jewel Andrew struck 21 off 16 balls before Axar Patel trapped him leg before wicket with his first delivery.

Shimron Hetmyer then launched a fierce assault, smashing 33 off just 12 balls, including four fours and two sixes, as the visitors raced past 100. Naman Dhir conceded 19 runs in his first over, with Hope and Hetmyer repeatedly finding the boundary.

Prince Yadav eventually ended Hetmyer’s charge in the ninth over, deceiving the left-hander with extra pace as a mistimed pull went straight back to the bowler for a caught-and-bowled dismissal. Rovman Powell kept the momentum going with 24 off 17 balls, including two fours and a six, before Arshdeep Singh found his edge in the 13th over, with Sanju Samson completed the catch.

Rutherford then joined Hope to maintain the assault. While Nitish Kumar Reddy briefly stemmed the flow with a disciplined over, Mayank was taken apart in the 17th, conceding 22 runs as Rutherford struck two sixes and a four.

Brief scores

West Indies 247/3 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 102 not out, Shimron Hetmyer 33, Sherfane Rutherford 49 not out; Prince Yadav 1/36) beat India 223 all out in 19.3 overs (Sanju Samson 56, Tilak Varma 43; Keemo Paul 5/41) by 24 runs.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Himank Negi

Himank Negi