A tall order: West Indies lose 3rd T20I by 14 runs

India 223 all out (Abhishek 69, Kishan 37; Chase 2-38) beat West Indies 209 for 7 (Hetmyer 43, Pooran 42; Arshdeep 3-44) by 14 runs 

The West Indies suffered a 14-run defeat to India in the third T20 International in Indore on Sunday, falling 2-1 behind in the five-match series. After rallying to dismiss India for 223 in their allotment, the Caribbean side failed to get out in front of the chase against an ever-climbing required rate.  

When Arshdeep Singh bowled Shai (5) in the second over, it meant the West Indies needed 216 Hope-less runs for victory. Shimron Hetmyer’s attempt to answer the call saw him top-scoring with 43. He dominated the 60-run second-wicket stand alongside Kamil Pooran. 

Despite Hetmyer’s 26-ball knock, the West Indies never came neck-and-neck with the required rate, with Pooran on a run-a-ball 12 when Hetmyer was bowled at 67 for two in the 7th. 

Rovman Powell’s dismissal for five in the ninth prompted an early drinks break, which saw coach Daren Sammy sprinting to deliver a message to the pedestrian Pooran. He responded by smashing Naman Dhir for three sixes in the 11th but was caught attempting a fourth to be dismissed for 42 (27 balls). 

At that point, it seemed a good finish from the West Indies could yet shine a favourable light on Pooran’s innings. The 46-run stand that followed between Sherfane Rutherford and Quentin Sampson, however, came in 27 balls, pushing the run-rate towards 15. 

And each wicket that fell after was further confirmation of the inevitable. Rutherford’s intent-filled 20-ball 32 was simply insufficient, while Shamar Springer’s unbeaten 35 from 11 was too late. The visitors ran out of deliveries on 209 for 7 after 20 overs.

Their bowling performance was a tale of two halves, conceding 87 runs in the powerplay for the wicket of Sanju Samson (3). A second-wicket century stand between Abhishek Sharma (69) and Ishan Kishan once again set India’s sights on a huge total. The pair put on 104 runs from 40 balls, pushing the score to 115 in the ninth.

Then Roston Chase struck. The off-spinner first had Kishan stumped for 37 before trapping captain Shreyas Iyer lbw three balls later for one. Chase’s double strike began a period in which the hosts lost four for 20, slipping to 135 for 5 in the 11th. 

India threatened a counter-attack before the partnership between Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy was halted at 34 (21 balls). The latter tickled Keemo Paul through to wicketkeeper Shai Hope for 21, bringing the last recognised batter, Axar Patel, to the crease in the 15th.

Beginning the 17th at 187 for six, India would have been eyeing a target close to 240. However, a lapse in concentration resulted in the run-out of the dangerous Tilak (28) as West Indies conceded just 36 for four in the final four overs.