India defended 223 to beat West Indies by 14 runs in the third T20I in Indore. The win gave India a 2-1 lead in the five-match IND vs WI series. Abhishek Sharma set up the victory with a blistering 69, before Arshdeep Singh struck twice in a crucial over to shut the door on the West Indies chase.
West Indies finished on 209/7. They had their moments, but India picked up wickets whenever the pressure started to build.
Abhishek Sharma takes the attack to West Indies
India got off to a flying start. Abhishek and Ishan Kishan went after the West Indies bowlers from the outset. Their 108-run stand came off just 40 balls and put India firmly in control.
Abhishek led the charge. He brought up his fifty in only 18 balls and finished with 69 off 30 deliveries. Kishan chipped in with 37 as India raced to 87/1 in the Powerplay.
Roston Chase pulled West Indies back into the game. He removed Kishan and Shreyas Iyer before ending Abhishek’s innings. Three wickets in quick succession slowed India’s charge and gave the visitors a chance to recover.
West Indies pull things back in the middle overs
India lost further ground in the middle overs. Naman Dhir fell while looking to accelerate, while Tilak Varma and Axar Patel were run out. The dismissals disrupted India’s rhythm and prevented them from finishing with an even bigger total.
India were bowled out for 223 in 20 overs. The score gave their bowlers a strong total to defend, but West Indies had enough firepower to make a contest of the chase.
Hetmyer and Pooran keep West Indies in the hunt
West Indies lost Shai Hope early, but Shimron Hetmyer kept the chase alive. He scored 43 and found support from Kamil Pooran, who made 42.
India needed a breakthrough. Naman Dhir provided one by dismissing Hetmyer, while Axar Patel sent Rovman Powell back to the pavilion. Pooran’s wicket added to West Indies’ problems as India tightened their grip on the game.
The visitors were not done yet. Sherfane Rutherford and Quentin Sampson added 46 runs to keep the chase on track. Nitish Kumar Reddy broke the stand by dismissing Sampson, leaving West Indies needing 65 from the final four overs.
Arshdeep Singh strikes at the decisive moment
Rutherford was still at the crease, and West Indies had a chance if he could find the boundary regularly. Arshdeep returned for a key spell with the game hanging in the balance.
The left-arm pacer delivered under pressure. He removed Rutherford and then struck again in the same over, dealing a major blow to the West Indies chase. The double strike left the visitors with too much to do in the closing overs.
Arshdeep finished with 3/44. Naman Dhir also made an impact with two wickets. West Indies managed a late burst against Axar, hitting three sixes in his final over, but the required rate had climbed too high.
India go 2-1 up in the IND vs WI series
West Indies closed on 209/7, falling 14 runs short. India held their nerve in the final overs to secure a valuable win in the third T20I.
Abhishek’s explosive start gave India the runs they needed. Arshdeep then produced the decisive spell when the chase threatened to gather pace. India now lead the IND vs WI series 2-1, with two matches remaining.
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