India Levels T20I Series with Dominant Win over West Indies
India bounced back with a convincing performance to level the five-match T20I series against the West Indies, securing a comfortable 9-wicket victory at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground on Saturday.
Batting first, the West Indies struggled against the bowling duo of Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav, finding themselves reduced to 57/4 in just 6.5 overs. However, a resilient partnership between Shai Hope (45 runs off 29 balls) and Shimron Hetmyer (61 runs off 39 balls) helped the West Indies cross the 100-run mark. They eventually finished with a total of 178/8 in their allotted 20 overs.
Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav were the standout performers for India, providing a combination of spin and pace that caused trouble for the West Indies batters. Arshdeep took three wickets for 38 runs, while Kuldeep claimed two wickets for 26 runs. Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, and debutant Mukesh Kumar chipped in with a wicket each.
In the chase, India got off to a flying start, thanks to their opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill. The duo took full advantage of the batting-friendly conditions, forging a formidable 165-run partnership. Gill, who scored 77 runs off 47 deliveries, including three fours and five sixes, was dismissed by Romario Shepherd. Jaiswal, however, remained unbeaten on 84 runs off 51 balls, which included 11 fours and three sixes.
With the target in sight, Jaiswal, along with Tilak Varma (7*), guided India to victory with three overs to spare. Jaiswal’s impressive knock earned him the Player of the Match award in recognition of his exceptional performance.
Following the match, Jaiswal expressed his gratitude to the Indian supporters, who had come out in numbers to cheer for the team, and emphasized the importance of taking responsibility as a batting unit to support the bowlers. He also praised the efforts of Gill and himself in dealing with the scorching heat and ensuring the job was finished.
India’s captain, Shubman Gill, highlighted the team’s confidence and the need to treat every T20 game with respect, regardless of the team’s position. He acknowledged that the West Indies had played better cricket in the previous two matches, resulting in a 2-0 lead, but emphasized the importance of playing good cricket and expressed optimism for the upcoming game.
With the series now leveled at 2-2, both teams will face off in the final match on Sunday. It will be a crucial encounter as both sides look to claim the series victory.
