India vs West Indies 4th T20I: Sanju Samson identified Tilak Varma’s dismissal as the turning point in India’s 24-run defeat to West Indies in the fourth T20I. Samson said India were still in the chase, with Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy building a strong partnership despite the team losing five wickets.
Shai Hope’s century and Keemo Paul’s five-wicket haul powered West Indies to a 24-run victory in the fourth T20I of the five-match series in Hyderabad on Wednesday. Chasing a huge target of 248 on a relaid surface, India were reduced to 130/5 in the 12th over before Varma and Reddy revived the chase with an attacking partnership.
The pair brought the equation down to 48 runs off 19 balls, keeping India in contention. However, Romario Shepherd dismissed Varma, which proved to be a crucial moment in the match.
Sanju Samson Calls Tilak Varma’s Dismissal The Turning Point
Speaking in the post match press-conference, Samson said India were scoring at a good pace while Varma and Reddy were at the crease. He praised the two young batters for handling pressure and taking on the West Indies bowling attack.
“The turning point of the match was when Tilak got out. We were cruising, scoring those 10-12 runs per over really nicely. Reddy and Tilak were batting really well in the pressure situation. Till that moment, I think we were in the chase. That is actually a great thing to have after losing five wickets, having that kind of control – two young cricketers taking on the pressure and taking on the West Indian bowling line-up,” Samson said.
Sanju Samson Disappointed After India’s Defeat
Samson scored a quick 56 off 23 balls to give India a strong start in the chase. However, despite enjoying his innings, the wicketkeeper-batter said he was disappointed that India could not finish on the winning side.
He added that chasing a big target required him to trust his instincts and power-hitting ability.
“Whatever you do feels very different when you are on the losing side, so I am actually a bit gutted at the moment. I definitely wanted to be on the winning side. I really enjoyed batting out there. When you are chasing a score like that, there are no second thoughts – you just have to back your instincts, your power game, and that is what I did. So I really enjoyed the knock, but I would have liked to be on the winning side,” he added.
With the victory, West Indies levelled the five-match T20I series at 2-2. The series decider will be played at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on October 17. (With Inputs From ANI)
Priyanshu Priyadarshi is a sports journalist with News X, part of ITV Network, covering cricket, football, hockey and other major sporting events. He has also worked with The Sunday Guardian, another publication under the ITV Network, and previously with Jagran New Media. Throughout his career, Priyanshu has covered multiple tournaments across cricket, football, hockey and other major sports, delivering timely news, match reports, in-depth analysis and compelling sports stories. With a keen interest in cricket and a passion for sports journalism, he is committed to bringing readers accurate, insightful and engaging coverage of the biggest moments in the sporting world.
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