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Shai Hope's unbeaten 102 powers West Indies to record T20 chase over India

West Indies reel in India's 249 with nine balls to spare to level the five-match series at 1-1

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Shai Hope hit an unbeaten 102 off only 45 balls as the West Indies beat India by six wickets in Ranchi on Friday, completing their highest successful Twenty20 run chase and levelling the five-match series at 1-1.

Hope struck nine sixes and six boundaries in his second T20 hundred, guiding the West Indies to 252-4 in reply to India's 249-5 with nine balls to spare. The chase was the second highest successful run chase in T20 history, behind only South Africa's 259-4 against the West Indies in March.

The captain of the innings, Hope found support from Sherfane Rutherford, who made 84 off 37 balls with seven sixes and seven fours. The pair added 120 off 54 balls to rebuild the innings after early losses, and Romario Shepherd finished the job with 34 off 13 balls including three sixes.

India, put into bat after the West Indies brought in left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, compiled its eighth highest total in T20s. Sanju Samson top-scored with 82 off 41 balls and Ishan Kishan made a quick-fire 43 off 22 balls, with the pair adding 97 off 43 balls. India took 79-1 in the powerplay and reached 100 off 8.1 overs.

Roston Chase slowed the momentum, dismissing Kishan in the 12th over and Shivam Dube two overs later, finishing with 3-24 in four overs. Samson fell to Shamar Springer in the 15th over, before Shreyas Iyer (40 off 18) and Tilak Varma (44 not out off 18) lifted India to a strong finish, hitting six sixes between them and adding 83 from 32 balls.

Mayank Yadav claimed 3-36 for India, removing openers Kamil Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer cheaply before bowling Rovman Powell for 24, but Hope anchored the reply, his second fifty coming off 21 balls. It was his third century against India in four innings across T20s and ODIs.

The third T20 of the series takes place in Indore on Sunday.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The result squares the five-match series at 1-1, keeping the contest alive ahead of Sunday's third match in Indore.
  • The West Indies' chase ranks as the second highest successful run chase in T20 history, a notable landmark in the format.
  • Shai Hope's form against India, including three centuries in his last four innings across T20s and ODIs, makes him the central figure in the series.

Background

The teams are contesting a five-match Twenty20 series in India, with the West Indies' record chase coming after India posted a formidable 249-5. T20 cricket prioritises aggressive batting, and pitches in Ranchi have proven favourable to high scoring, as reflected in the totals reached by both sides. The series winner is determined across the remaining matches.

Key Perspectives

West Indies: The tourists will see the chase as proof of batting depth, with Hope's anchoring innings supported by Rutherford and Shepherd, and may back themselves to defend or chase similar totals again. India: India will take positives from a batting display that produced its eighth highest T20 total, including strong contributions from Samson and Kishan, but will be concerned about a bowling attack that conceded 252. Critics and skeptics: India's failure to defend 249 despite Mayank Yadav's early wickets raises questions about the depth and execution of its bowling, particularly in the middle and death overs, and could be a recurring weakness in high-scoring games.

What to Watch

  • Whether India adjusts its bowling plans in Indore after conceding a record chase.
  • Whether Shai Hope maintains his scoring run against India in the third T20 on Sunday.
  • The series status after Indore: a win for either side would put them a step closer to taking the five-match contest.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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