Yesterday India vs West Indies match result: What happened during IND vs WI 4th T20I in Hyderabad?
West Indies finally cracked the code of defending a total against India on home soil in T20Is. At a high-scoring Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, Shai Hope’s unbeaten 102 and Keemo Paul’s 5-41 guided the visitors to a 24-run win in the fourth T20I, levelling the series 2-2.
India, after winning the toss and electing to chase, never quite recovered from early setbacks in pursuit of 247. The defeat ended a run of six failed attempts by West Indies to defend successfully in India.
Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford build a monumental total
Put in to bat, West Indies started aggressively. Jewel Andrew, returning from injury, launched into Arshdeep Singh with boundaries and a six, helping the side race to a Powerplay of 79 for 1, their highest T20I Powerplay score against India.
Shai Hope, already in rich form on the tour, took control. He punished the Indian bowlers to keep the scoreboard moving. Axar Patel provided a breakthrough, but Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell ensured the momentum did not drop. Powell’s 22-run over off Axar kept the pressure on.
Sherfane Rutherford then joined Hope for a blistering 91-run stand off just 43 balls. Rutherford finished with 49 while Shai Hope reached his hundred off the final ball of the innings. West Indies closed on 247/3 in 20 overs, with Prince Yadav and Axar the only Indian bowlers to take a wicket.
Keemo Paul and Gudakesh Motie halt India’s chase
Sanju Samson responded with intent, blasting his joint-fastest T20I fifty off just 20 balls. India reached 50 without loss inside three overs as Roston Chase leaked 25 from his second over. However, the dry surface with no dew allowed West Indies’ seamers to change pace effectively.
Keemo Paul struck immediately. A short ball and smart fielding removed Samson, and Ishan Kishan followed three balls later while attempting a six. Abhishek Sharma struggled for rhythm on limited strike, crawling to 29 off 24. Shreyas Iyer (16 off 11) and Naman Dhir (first-ball duck) further stalled the middle order. India managed only 32 off 31 balls at short length from the pacers.
Gudakesh Motie then removed Abhishek and Dhir in consecutive deliveries, leaving the required rate steep. Tilak Varma and Nitish Reddy staged a recovery with a 70-run stand in 5.2 overs, but Paul’s clever change-ups at the death accounted for both. His five-wicket haul sealed the result as India finished on 223/9 in 19.3 overs. Arshdeep Singh retired hurt late in the chase, adding a final blow as India ran out of resources in a lost cause.
Series heads to Bengaluru decider
This was the first time West Indies successfully defended a total against India in India in T20Is. Hope’s fourth century of the tour and Paul’s match-winning spell turned a potentially familiar high-scoring night into a statement win. With the series level at 2-2, the fifth and final T20I in Bengaluru will decide the winner.
