The bowlers can finally breathe a sigh of relief! After enduring a punishing run of high-scoring contests across the three ODIs and the first two T20Is, India’s bowlers finally had something to celebrate in Indore on Sunday, defending a total for the first time on the tour to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match T20I series.
India posted 223 in 20 overs before restricting West Indies to 209/7, thus sealing a 14-run victory at the Holkar Stadium. The absence of significant dew also made a noticeable difference, giving the bowlers a better chance to execute their plans under the lights.
Abhishek Sharma led India’s charge with a blistering 69 off just 30 deliveries, while Ishan Kishan contributed 37 off 18 balls. Their aggressive batting helped India recover from an early setback and put up a formidable total, although the hosts lost wickets regularly in the latter stages.
At one stage, India went from 115/2 to 135/5 in the span of 15 deliveries. Then, after a brief revival, India suffered an embarrassing lapse in game awareness when Axar Patel and Tilak Varma were involved in a bizarre run-out against the West Indies. The incident unfolded when Axar flicked a low full toss towards deep backward square leg. Kamil Pooran sprinted across and dived to his left, managing to prevent the ball from reaching the boundary.
However, the Indian batters had already completed a single and were busy exchanging glove punches in the middle of the pitch, seemingly convinced that Pooran had conceded a boundary. Axar, who was facing the ball, managed to ground his bat just in time, but Tilak, unaware of the unfolding situation, was caught short as the West Indies completed the run-out at the bowler’s end.
The third umpire first confirmed Pooran’s clean boundary save before ruling Tilak out. The incident highlighted a remarkable lapse in concentration, leaving the West Indies players amused by an unexpected gift.
Crucially, Prince Yadav’s unbeaten 13 off six balls, including three boundaries in the final over, provided India with some valuable late runs. With the eventual margin of victory just 14 runs, that contribution proved particularly significant.
India’s bowlers then stepped up to the challenge. Arshdeep Singh struck early, dismissing the dangerous Shai Hope in the second over to give the hosts an important breakthrough. West Indies threatened through Pooran’s 42 and Shimron Hetmyer’s 43, but India prevented the visitors from gaining sustained momentum in the chase. The required run rate continued to climb, leaving the Caribbean side with plenty to do in the closing overs.
Sherfane Rutherford remained a threat until Arshdeep produced a superb yorker to shatter his middle stump. The left-arm pacer finished with three wickets, delivering a decisive performance when India needed it most. Shamar Springer’s late hitting could not prevent West Indies from falling short.
The series now moves to Hyderabad, where India will look to extend their advantage. The venue has witnessed some enormous totals in the IPL, particularly from Abhishek’s Sunrisers Hyderabad.
After a welcome evening for the bowlers in Indore, the question is whether they can enjoy another one in Hyderabad. Given the firepower in both batting line-ups, they may not want to get their hopes up just yet.
