Hope hits 102 not out as West Indies beat India by 24 runs in Hyderabad to level series 2-2
Shai Hope's unbeaten century and Kimo Paul's five wickets gave West Indies a 24-run win in the fourth match, leaving the series to be decided in the last game.
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West Indies beat India by 24 runs in the fourth match of the series at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. The win levels the series at 2-2, and the result will now be decided in the final match.
India won the toss and chose to field first. India had lost the toss in three matches of the series, but the toss went their way in the fourth. The decision did not prove right.
Jewel Andrew and captain Shai Hope opened for West Indies. Jewel was out for just 21. Shimron Hetmyer and Hope then steadied the innings, apparently focused on lifting the score without losing too many wickets in the powerplay. Hetmyer was dismissed for 33 and Rovman Powell returned for 24.
Sherfane Rutherford and captain Hope then took the team past 200. Both batted very aggressively. Hope made an unbeaten 102 off 50 balls with 9 sixes and 4 fours. Rutherford remained not out on 49 off 26 balls, with 4 fours and 3 sixes. West Indies made 248 for 3, setting India a big target.
India's bowlers failed to fire in this match as well. Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel and Prince Yadav took one wicket each, but the West Indies batters dealt with them severely.
In reply, India made a good start. By the fourth over, in the powerplay, India were 60 without loss. That included 56 by opener Sanju Samson. The other opener, Abhishek Sharma, appeared to play with caution.
Hope called on Kimo Paul to bowl the fifth over. Paul justified the captain's faith. In that over he first dismissed Sanju and three balls later sent back Ishan Kishan (6), giving India two blows.
Sanju had completed his half-century in just 20 balls. However, in his aggression he gave a catch to Shimron Hetmyer near the boundary. He made 56 off 23 balls with 6 fours and 4 sixes. Captain Shreyas Iyer (16), who came in at number four, stayed with Abhishek for a while but did not last long either.
In the 11th over, Gudakesh Motie dismissed Abhishek Sharma (29) and Naman Dhir in quick succession. Late on, Tilak Varma (43) and Nitish Reddy (41) began to hit out, but could not win the match for India. India's innings ended at 223 for 9. Kimo Paul took 5 wickets for West Indies.
