Naman Dhir, Axar Patel and Nitish Reddy help turn the match around
Indore : Abhishek Sharma’s explosive 69 off just 30 balls, followed by a disciplined bowling performance, made it a Super Sunday for Team India at Indore’s Holkar Stadium in the third T20 International against the West Indies.
India Win After Removing Hope Early
India won the thrilling contest by 14 runs to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Since the West Indies toured India, this was the first time in six matches—three ODIs and three T20Is—that the team batting first had emerged victorious. The dismissal of West Indies captain Shai Hope for just five runs proved crucial in making India’s task easier. Arshdeep Singh bowled him cleanly to deliver an early breakthrough.
The pitch at Indore offered low bounce, making big hitting difficult for the batters. This helped India defend their total of 223 runs. Moreover, the relatively low humidity worked in favour of the Indian bowlers.
Chasing a target of 224, the West Indies managed 209 for seven in their 20 overs. Shimron Hetmyer scored 43 off 26 balls, including two sixes and six fours, while Kamil Pooran contributed 42 off 27 balls, with three sixes and three fours. Sherfane Rutherford added 32 off 20 deliveries, including two sixes and two fours.
Towards the end, Shamar Springer provided some fireworks with an unbeaten 35 off just 11 balls, smashing four sixes and two fours. However, the Indian bowlers largely managed to keep the Caribbean batters under control.
Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh claimed three wickets, while spinner Naman Dhir picked up two. All-rounders Axar Patel and Nitish Reddy took one wicket each.
Fast bowler Mayank Yadav, who had created havoc with three wickets at speeds exceeding 140 kmph in Friday’s second match in Ranchi, went wicketless on Sunday despite conceding 34 runs. Prince Yadav also failed to take a wicket, giving away 37 runs. However, both Mayank and Prince used their pace, yorkers and other variations effectively to restrict the West Indies.
India’s Lower Order Provides the Finishing Touch
Earlier, India posted 223 runs in 20 overs. Mayank Yadav was dismissed for a duck off the final ball of the innings, but by then, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan had set the stage with their explosive batting before the lower order made valuable contributions to take India to a formidable total.
Kishan, who was stumped, scored 37 off just 18 balls, hitting one six and six fours.
When Naman Dhir fell for 10 with India at 135 for five, and Nitish Reddy was dismissed for 21 in the 15th over with the score at 169, it appeared that India might struggle to reach even 200.
However, Tilak Varma contributed 28 runs, followed by Axar Patel’s 20. Arshdeep Singh added 11, while Prince Yadav remained unbeaten on 13. These valuable contributions from the lower order, with several batters adding between 10 and 20 runs, helped India reach an impressive total of 223.
Roston Chase, Shamar Joseph and Shamar Springer claimed two wickets apiece for the West Indies. Springer took the most important wicket of Abhishek Sharma, who had smashed 69 runs.
India’s captain Shreyas Iyer, who scored just one run, and opener Sanju Samson, who managed only three, failed to make an impact with the bat.
Prince Yadav was included in the playing XI in place of Kuldeep Yadav, while Nitish Reddy replaced Shivam Dube for this match.
India will now face the West Indies in the fourth T20I in Hyderabad on Wednesday. The fifth and final T20I is scheduled to be played in Bengaluru on Saturday.
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