West Indies produced a remarkable run chase against India, reaching 252/4 in just 18.3 overs to win by six wickets after India had piled up 249/5 in their 20 overs. Shai Hope’s unbeaten century and Sherfane Rutherford’s explosive 84 proved decisive, turning India’s imposing total into a losing effort.
India had plenty to celebrate with the bat, led by Sanju Samson’s 82 and significant contributions from Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma. Yet West Indies answered with even greater force, maintaining a scoring rate that left India’s bowlers struggling to contain the chase.
The result was a striking contrast between two powerful batting performances: India reached 249 at a run rate of 12.45, only for West Indies to surpass that mark at an extraordinary 13.62 runs per over.
Sanju Samson Sets the Platform for India’s Big Total
India finished their innings at 249/5, building a formidable total through a series of aggressive contributions rather than relying on one batter alone.
Abhishek Sharma made 20 from 12 balls before Gudakesh Motie and Roston Chase ended his innings. Sanju Samson then took control, scoring 82 from 41 deliveries, including nine fours and four sixes. His strike rate of 200 gave India the kind of acceleration needed to establish a commanding position in a 20-over contest.
Samson’s innings was the foundation of India’s total. He combined boundary-hitting with a sustained scoring rate, ensuring the innings gathered momentum early.
Ishan Kishan added 43 from 22 balls, striking six fours and two sixes. His contribution helped India maintain the pressure on the West Indies attack, while Shreyas Iyer supplied another burst of aggression with 40 from just 18 deliveries. Iyer hit three fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 222.22.
Shivam Dube managed seven from 10 balls, but India still had plenty of firepower to come.
Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on 44 from 18 deliveries, striking three fours and three sixes. Naman Dhir provided a late push with an unbeaten four from a single delivery. Their finishing contributions helped India reach 249/5, with nine extras also added to the total.
It was a formidable batting display. However, the eventual result showed that even a total approaching 250 could not guarantee India control of the match.
West Indies Strike Back Despite Losing Two Early Wickets
India’s total demanded an aggressive response, but West Indies’ chase began with immediate trouble.
Kamil Pooran fell for four, and Shimron Hetmyer was dismissed for a duck. Both wickets came when the score was just five, leaving West Indies under pressure before the innings had properly settled.
Rovman Powell attempted to restore some momentum with 24 from 13 balls, hitting four fours and a six. However, Mayank Yadav removed Powell to reduce West Indies to 58/3, giving India another opportunity to seize control.
At that stage, the chase had already lost three wickets. India had the runs on the board and had made early inroads, but Shai Hope remained at the crease. That proved crucial.
Shai Hope’s Unbeaten Century Changes the Contest
Hope delivered the innings West Indies needed, finishing unbeaten on 102 from just 45 balls. His knock included six fours and nine sixes, with a strike rate of 226.67.
The West Indies captain combined consistency with extraordinary power. Rather than allowing the early dismissals to dictate the direction of the chase, he continued to attack and kept the required scoring rate within reach.
Hope’s century was not merely a personal milestone. It gave West Indies a batter capable of sustaining the chase while wickets fell around him, and his unbeaten finish ensured India never found a way to dismiss the central figure in their pursuit.
His innings also demonstrated the scale of the task facing India’s bowlers. A target of 250 normally offers room for mistakes, but Hope’s scoring rate steadily reduced the margin for error.
Sherfane Rutherford Adds Another Explosive Innings
If Hope provided the backbone of the chase, Sherfane Rutherford supplied another major burst of scoring.
Rutherford struck 84 from 37 deliveries, hitting seven fours and seven sixes at a strike rate of 227.03. His innings ensured West Indies had more than one batter capable of keeping pace with the demanding target.
The combination of Hope’s unbeaten 102 and Rutherford’s 84 transformed the contest. India’s bowlers had already removed three batters, but those breakthroughs were not enough to prevent West Indies from maintaining an exceptional scoring rate.
Mayank Yadav was India’s most successful bowler, taking three wickets for 36 runs from his three overs. Kuldeep Yadav claimed one wicket, conceding 53 runs in four overs. Yet India’s attack could not find the breakthroughs required to stop West Indies’ charge.
Romario Shepherd Finishes the Job
West Indies still needed contributions from the remaining batters to complete the chase, and Romario Shepherd made sure the opportunity was not wasted.
Shepherd hammered an unbeaten 34 from just 13 balls, including three fours and three sixes. His strike rate of 261.54 added another burst of acceleration at precisely the stage when India needed to slow the innings down.
West Indies reached 252/4 in 18.3 overs, completing the chase with nine balls remaining. The winning margin was six wickets.
For India, the defeat was particularly striking because 249/5 would ordinarily represent an excellent platform from which to defend a T20 total. Samson, Kishan, Iyer and Varma had all contributed at impressive rates, while Mayank’s three wickets gave India genuine opportunities during the chase.
But West Indies produced an even more destructive batting performance. Hope stayed unbeaten, Rutherford delivered the innings that kept the chase surging forward, and Shepherd supplied the finishing acceleration.
The final figures tell the story clearly: India scored 249 runs at 12.45 per over, but West Indies responded at 13.62 per over to complete a six-wicket victory. It was a chase built on recovery after early setbacks, powered by two outstanding innings and completed with time to spare.
Match Scorecard
India
249/5
20 overs · Run rate 12.45
Batting highlights
| Batter | Runs (Balls) |
|---|---|
| Sanju Samson | 82 (41) |
| Tilak Varma* | 44 (18) |
| Ishan Kishan | 43 (22) |
| Shreyas Iyer | 40 (18) |
| Abhishek Sharma | 20 (12) |
| Naman Dhir* | 4 (1) |
*Not out. Shivam Dube scored 7 (10). Extras: 9.
West Indies
252/4
18.3 overs · Run rate 13.62
Batting highlights
| Batter | Runs (Balls) |
|---|---|
| Shai Hope* | 102 (45) |
| Sherfane Rutherford | 84 (37) |
| Romario Shepherd* | 34 (13) |
| Rovman Powell | 24 (13) |
| Kamil Pooran | 4 (2) |
*Not out. Shimron Hetmyer scored 0 (1). Extras: 4.
Best bowling figures
West Indies
Roston Chase
3/24
4 overs
India
Mayank Yadav
3/36
3 overs
Match result
West Indies won by 6 wickets, reaching 252/4 in 18.3 overs.
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