West Indies Beat India by 24 Runs to Level T20I Series 2-2

West Indies produced one of their most complete T20I performances in recent years, beating India by 24 runs in the fourth match at Hyderabad to level the five-match series 2-2. The result was built on a 247-run total, a century from Shai Hope, and a decisive bowling spell from Keemo Paul, whose 5/41 turned a high-scoring chase into a controlled finish for the visitors.

West Indies set the tone with 247

The opening innings gave West Indies the statistical platform they needed. Their 247 runs represented a scoring rate of 12.35 runs per over, and that kind of volume usually leaves little room for error in a T20 chase.

Hope’s century was the standout contribution, but the broader batting effort mattered as well. On a surface that encouraged stroke play, West Indies still managed to convert powerplay momentum into a total that forced India into a near-perfection chase.

Hope’s century provided the anchoring value

Shai Hope’s innings gave West Indies both stability and acceleration. In a format where individual hundreds are rare, his effort carried added weight because it came in a match that later proved to be decided by fine margins.

The century also reflected a more modern scoring profile. Instead of a purely conservative anchor role, Hope’s strike rate allowed West Indies to keep the run rate above 12 per over, a key factor in stretching India’s chase beyond ideal control.

India’s chase started at elite pace

India were far from outplayed in the early stages. They reached 60 without loss in just four overs, a powerplay burst that translated to 15 runs per over and briefly made the target look manageable.

Sanju Samson led the charge with 56 off 23 balls, a strike rate of 243.47. That rate is the sort of output that normally changes the shape of a chase, especially when the asking rate is already high.

Middle-order resistance kept India alive

India’s best recovery came through the sixth-wicket stand between Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy. Their 70-run partnership came off only 32 balls, which works out to a partnership strike rate of 218.75 and shows how quickly the chase was being reshaped.

Even so, the dismissal of Tilak shifted the pressure back onto India. With 43 needed from the final 12 balls, the required rate climbed to 21.5 an over, a level that is difficult even on a ground with short boundaries and a fast outfield.

Paul’s 5/41 changed the match

Keemo Paul delivered the turning point with the ball. His figures of 5/41 were not only decisive for the match result, but also historically significant: they became the second-best bowling figures by any bowler against India in men’s T20Is.

The only better return remains Obed McCoy’s 6/17 in Basseterre in 2022. Paul’s spell also had a deeper West Indies context, because he became the first West Indies bowler to record two five-wicket hauls in men’s T20Is.

Two wickets in the first over, then a collapse in the penultimate

Paul’s spell was especially effective because of timing. He removed two wickets in his first over and later took three wickets in four balls during the penultimate over, shutting down India’s late scoring options at the exact moment when the chase still had momentum.

For a team defending 247, such over-by-over impact is often more important than economy alone. Paul’s breakthroughs compressed India’s decision-making and forced lower-probability shots under rising pressure.

Context, errors and the series equation

The match also featured a lengthy stumping review involving Naman Dhir and an injury concern for Arshdeep Singh, who retired out after picking up a knock. West Indies additionally benefited when Mayank Yadav dropped Sherfane Rutherford, a missed chance that mattered in a contest decided by 24 runs.

With the win, West Indies have levelled the series at 2-2 and set up a decider in Bengaluru. From a numbers perspective, both teams have now shown they can dominate phases of the game, but the final match will likely be decided by which side manages to convert top-order starts into sustained innings and defend or chase under pressure more efficiently.

The fourth T20I reinforced a familiar T20 lesson: when totals rise above 240, one spell can outweigh multiple strong batting contributions. In Hyderabad, Hope and Paul delivered those decisive contributions, and West Indies used them to force the series into a winner-takes-all final.