India beat West Indies by 88 runs in yesterday’s T20I to clinch the five-match series 4-1. Batting first after winning the toss, Team India posted an impressive 188 for 7 on the board as Shreyas Iyer top-scored with 64 off 40 balls. Ravi Bishnoi (4/16), Axar Patel (3/15) and Kuldeep Yadav (3/12) then spun a web around West Indies, who were bundled out for exactly 100 in 15.4 overs.
Axar ran through West Indies’ top-order, claiming three wickets inside the powerplay. The left-arm spinner cleaned up Jason Holder (0), who was promoted to open, in the first over. The batter completely missed his paddle sweep and the ball crashed into leg stump.
Axar was hit for three fours in the fifth over but also got two wickets. Shamarh Brooks (13) was stumped as he looked to loft the spinner over midwicket, but completely missed the ball. Devon Thomas was then castled for 10 as he failed in his attempt to cut a skiddy delivery. West Indies ended the powerplay in big trouble at 38 for 3.
Kuldeep, the other left-arm spinner who was included in the playing XI, also made an instant impact, getting the massive scalp of West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran (3). The left-hander was beaten in the flight and trapped lbw by a flipper.
Shimron Hetmyer launched an assault on the Indian bowlers from one end. However, Bishnoi trapped Rovman Powell (9) and Keemo Paul (0) leg before as West Indies slipped to 88 for 6 in the 12th over. Powell missed his attempted flick while Paul was done in by a skidder.
Kuldeep then struck twice in the next over as India raced towards victory. Dominic Drakes (1) was cleaned up by a googly while Odean Smith (0) top-edged an attempted pull to first slip. There was something to cheer for West Indies as Hetmyer brought up a 28-ball fifty by pulling Bishnoi for a boundary.
Hetmyer’s valiant effort ended on 56 off 35 as he miscued a big hit off Bishoi to long off. The young leggie had a fourth when last man Obed McCoy (0) slog-swept the bowler to long on. Bishnoi ended with career-best figures of 4 for 16 as spinners claimed all 10 wickets in a match for the first time in a T20I.
Shreyas Iyer smashes 64 as India post 188 for 7
Shreyas hit a stroke-filled half-century as India put up 188 for 7 in their 20 overs. The Men in Blue were well placed to cross 200, having reached 114 for 1 in the 12th over. However, Odeon Smith (3/33) excelled at the death to ensure India did not go berserk.
India made four changes to their playing XI for the dead rubber. Regular skipper Rohit Sharma was rested while Hardik Pandya was named captain. Team India also had a new opening pair in Shreyas and Ishan Kishan. The former looked in great touch from the start, but Kishan perished cheaply. On 11, he pulled a short of a length delivery from Dominic Drakes to the fielder running back from mid-on.
Deepak Hooda struck a couple of fours off Keemo Paul as India ended the powerplay at 53 for 1. Shreyas clobbered consecutive sixes off Smith to end the eighth over, while Hooda skipped down the track and lofted the first ball of the 9th over from Hayden Walsh for another maximum over extra cover. Shreyas brought up a 30-ball 50 by slashing Powell for a boundary as India reached a healthy 95 for 1 at the halfway stage of their innings.
The 76-run stand ended when Hooda (38 off 25) perished to Walsh, mistiming a big hit. India suffered a double blow as Shreyas perished soon after, chipping a full toss from Holder back to the bowler. Sanju Samson (15) was cleaned up as he attempted to steer Smith behind square. Dinesh Karthik (12) also went cheaply, trapped lbw by Smith as he missed his reverse paddle.
Stand-in skipper Hardik (28 off 16) clubbed Holder for two sixes and a four in the penultimate over to lift India past 180. Smith bowled a good last over in which Hardik was run out off the first ball. Axar (9) hit a six before being dismissed as only seven runs came off the over.
India vs West Indies 2022: Who was Player of the Match in 5th T20I?
Also Read
Story Continues below
Shreyas struck eight fours and two sixes in his impressive knock. With the ball, Axar picked up three quick wickets at the top. Bishnoi and Kuldeep also proved too good for West Indies, sharing the other seven scalps between themselves.
For the Windies, Smith impressed with 3 for 33 with his medium pace while Hetmyer scored a brisk fifty.
Axar was named Player of the Match for his brilliant figures of 3 for 15.
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
