India vs West Indies T20I returns to Hyderabad today after 7 years; what happened last time at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium?
The India vs West Indies T20I returned to the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad after a long gap of seven years on Wednesday as the two teams face off in the fourth game of the ongoing five-match series. Led by Shreyas Iyer, the Men in Blue are leading the series 2-1. West Indies had won the second game, chasing 250 in Ranchi.
Hyderabad has always been a happy hunting ground for the Indian team, winning three out of four games at this venue. Only one game against Australia in 2017 was abandoned due to rain. Thereafter, India won against West Indies, Australia and Bangladesh. maintaining an all-win record.
It has been a batting vs batting contest between both the teams in West Indies tour of India. After all the three ODIs saw 300-plus totals in five of the six innings played, the second and third T20Is saw both teams scoring in excess of 200 runs in their respective innings.
Only in the first game, India won while chasing West Indies’ 171 all out. The fourth T20I will also be a run-fest in Hyderabad. In fact, India’s highest T20I score of 297/6 against Bangladesh in 2024 came at this very ground. India won the game by 133 runs, with Sanju Samson scoring a hundred. The Kerala batter would be licking his arm again this time.
What happened in IND vs WI T20I in 2019?
It was a series opener in 2019. Batting first, West Indies, led by then-captain Kieron Pollard scored 207/5 in 20 overs. Shimron Hetmyer (56), Evin Lewis (40) and Pollard (37) scored for the visitors. For India, Yuzvendra Chahal took two wickets.
In reply, India had lost Rohit Sharma for single digits inside the powerplay, before Virat Kohli and KL Rahul added 100 runs for the second wicket to revive the Indian innings. While Rahul departed for 62 with India’s score reading 130/2 in 13.3 overs, Kohli remained not out till the end to see his team home with eight balls and six wickets to spare.
The then-Indian captain remained unbeaten for 94 runs which came off 54 balls, studded with six fours and as many sixes. It was Kohli’s highest T20I score at that time.
Virat Kohli’s notebook celebration
It all started in 2017 in Jamaica when Kesrick Williams dismissed Kohli and celebrated with his notebook gesture – where the Windies bowler mimics writing the Indian’s name in a notebook and ticking it off. Kohli’s revenge came two years later in 2019.
It took place in the 16th over of the Indian innings, when Kohli smashed Williams for a four, followed by a six in the second and third deliveries respectively. Williams missed the yorker by a half a yard, and Kohli whips it hard flat over wide long-on for a maximum. The then-Indian skipper gave it back to Williams with a same notebook celebration.
Post-Match, Kohli acknowledged that he remembered the 2017 send-off.
