India beat West Indies by seven wickets in yesterday’s T20I at the Providence Stadium in Guyana. Bowling first after losing the toss, Team India held West Indies to 159-5 as Kuldeep Yadav shone with 3-28.
Suryakumar Yadav then clobbered 83 off 44 as the visitors eased past the target in 17.5 overs. With the thumping win, the Men in Blue stayed alive in the five-match series, trailing 2-1.
Chasing 160, India lost debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal for 1 as he miscued an attempted big hit off Obed McCoy. Suryakumar, though, came in and slapped four and six off consecutive deliveries. He never lost rhythm after that even as Shubman Gill (6) top-edged one off Alzarri Joseph.
Suryakumar and Tilak Varma (49* off 37) added 87 for the third wicket to put India on course for an impressive win. The former raced to a 23-ball fifty with consecutive fours off Romario Shepherd.
Suryakumar clobbered ten fours and four sixes in his terrific knock, including a whip off Joseph over deep backward square leg for a maximum. He, however, fell in the same over, perishing to a full-toss.
Varma also stuck a six when he pulled Shepherd over deep backward square leg at the start of the 16th over. Captain Hardik Pandya (20* off 15) finished off the game in style, smacking Rovman Powell for a six over long-off.
Powell blitz lifts West Indies to 159-5
West Indies captain Powell smacked an unbeaten 40 off 19 to lift the hosts to 159-5 after they had won the toss and batted first.
There was a bizarre delay at the start, as the 30-yard circle was not drawn out. When proceedings resumed, openers Brandon King and Kyle Mayers brought up a solid 50-run stand in seven overs.
Axar Patel got the breakthrough for India and his first wicket of the series when Mayers (25 off 20) top-edged a slog-sweep to deep backward square leg. Johnson Charles (12) was the next to go, trapped lbw by Kuldeep as he missed a slog-sweep. India took the DRS to get the decision in their favour.
In Kuldeep’s next over, Nicholas Pooran clobbered the left-arm wrist-spinner for six and a four off consecutive deliveries. However, the bowler had his man when he beat the left-hander (20 off 12) in the air and had him stumped. Kuldeep had two in the over when King (42 off 42) toe-ended a return catch. The wicket was Kuldeep's 50th in T20Is.
Shimron Hetmyer (9) holed out trying to take on Mukesh Kumar. Powell then provided the final flourish to the West Indies innings.
He clobbered Arshdeep Singh two sixes in the 19th over, which cost 17. Another maximum followed in the last over by Mukesh as a full-toss was launched over deep midwicket.
India vs West Indies 2023: Who was Player of the Match in 3rd T20I?
Kuldeep was excellent with the ball again, claiming three scalps. With the bat, Suryakumar played a typically aggressive knock, while Varma impressed once again.
For the West Indies, captain Powell slammed 40* off 19, while Joseph registered impressive figures of 2-25. Suryakumar, though, was named the Player of the Match for his stupendous innings.
Follow IPL Auction 2025 Live Updates, News & Biddings at Sportskeeda. Get the fastest updates on Mega-Auction and cricket news