India Vs West Indies 3rd T20I Highlights: Here are the two squads
West Indies Squad: Kyle Mayers, Johnson Charles, Nicholas Pooran(w), Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell(c), Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Obed McCoy, Oshane Thomas, Brandon King, Odean Smith, Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd
India Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ishan Kishan(w), Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya(c), Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Tilak Varma
West Indies ride Nicholas Pooran masterclass to beat India, take 2-0 lead in T20I series
A plucky unbeaten eighth-wicket stand of 26 runs between Alzarri Joseph and Akeal Hosein staved off the embarrassment of a mindless collapse, in true West Indies fashion. It was a game West Indies lost, won, lost and won again, enduring late, heart-stopping drama, to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
When the hosts lost two wickets in the first four balls of the innings, a shambolic defeat looked imminent. But Nicholas Pooran produced 67 runs off 40 balls to revive their hopes. His departure though precipitated a collapse, as only West Indies could conjure these days, and his side teetered to the edge of another defeat. But Hosein and Joseph displayed composure that the lower-middle order lacked to guide them home. (Read more of the match report from Sandip G)
Rovman Powell: We were 10-15 runs short. But having said credit to the batting unit especially the opening partnership, that's what we asked for. In hindsight you can say that but we wanted to give Charles an opportunity, we know what Pooran can do and what kind of form he is in. We bowled with too much pace on the ball and that made it easy for the Indian batters. We have a few days gap and we have to come up with better plans.
Hardik Pandya: Very important. We spoke as a group that these three games will be exciting. Two losses or two wins does not change the long term plans. We have to show we are ready when it comes to such games. Nicky (Pooran) didn't come out to bat and that allowed us to keep our pacers back, also allowed Axar to bowl his four overs. If Nicky wants to hit let him hit me, that was the plan and I enjoy such competition. I know he is going to hear this and will come hard at me. As a group we have decided to bat with seven batters and we have to take responsibility, like it happened today if the batters score runs then you need anyone at number eight. As Surya mentioned, they play together and spend time together, good to have someone like SKY in the team and when he takes responsibility it sends a message to the others.
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Suryakumar Yadav: It was really important to be myself when I went in to bat in the powerplay, that's what the team management also wanted. I have practised these strokes a lot and I love doing that. We have batted together for a long time, we both understand how each other bats and the way he batted it gave me a lot of confidence. It was a great innings from him at the other end. It was running on the back of my mind but at the same time we spoke in the team meeting, our captain said someone needs to put their hand up and win the match, glad I was able to do that.
Rovman Powell figures he might as well have a go with not much to defend. Just as the game inches towards a close with Tilak Varma having shown his acumen yet again, Abhinav Mukund makes a strong case for the 20-year-old Tilak Varma to be added into the Indian ODI side for the World Cup squad: citing a good left-right handed combination to be crucial in Indian conditions. A good time to revisit this piece from Namit Kumar.
Captain to captain, Hardik Pandya finishes it off with a six over long off. A seven wicket win and the series is still alive. 2-1 with two more to come.
150 up for India as Alzarri Joseph walks in for his last over. Hardik Pandya toe ends one sky high but gets away with it as extra cover can't get to it in time. Just the one big hit needed to close this game now off the final three overs.
Tilak Varma picks out the pull shot off Romario Shepherd and it goes all the way over deep square leg for six. He wants to get this done quickly. Becomes the leading scorer in the series now. Hardik Pandya at the other end, edges one down short third for four to close the over. 148/3 after 16 overs.
Roston Chase conceded the least vs Surya and in the end, he closes his spell with 28 runs given. Not been the best outing for the Windies bowlers. Spin is out of the attack now. After 15 overs, IND are 135/3.
Hosein into his last over. Goes length and straight off the first ball and Tilak Varma splits the field in the deep to get a boundary in between deep mid wicket and deep square leg. India have all the time by their side now but will look to close this as soon as possible to avoid any of the death overs drama that has prevailed in this series so far. One simple, one-sided win to get them back into the series. Seven runs off the over. 130/3 after 14.
The helicopter comes out. It's a Surya helicopter alright, so it's square of the wicket over square leg for six. Wow! Alzarri Joseph looks dumbstruck. Not much wrong he did with that delivery!
But the West Indies pacer gets his revenge as SKY finds the fielder at fine leg later in the over. Brandon King takes the catch but it may have been a little too late for the Windies. India, 123/3 after 13 overs.
Akeal Hosein returns for a third over. Surya keeps at the script. A first ball lofted shot down wide long off for four. He might get his hundred. Looks very much in the mood to. That'll level him up with Rohit Sharma at the top. Closes the over with a paddle shot that's not as well struck but gets him two more runs. The number one T20I batter at his very best. India, 114/2 after 12 overs.
Again, it's Suryakumar Yadav, who goes after Roston Chase on the odd ball. Picks that sweep shot off the ball outside off to beat the short fine leg to his left. 100 up for India. 106/2 after 11 overs.
The drizzle has gotten heavier and the ground staff are on stand by. It's a bit confusing as the sun is up. Meanwhile, on the ground, SKY goes down on the off side and paddles one over short fine leg for six. Not much pace from Shepherd, so there's a split second of waiting as he goes down, but good body shape to execute that shot. Follows it with a cut short for four. It's all him right now and West Indies don't have that many runs to defend. Healthy for India given the rain as well, if DRS comes into play. After 10 overs, India are 97/2.
STAT ALERT: Suryakumar Yadav is the second quickest batter to 100 T20 sixes after Evin Lewis (42).
Roston Chase into his second over. India aren't looking to go crazy against the off spinner. Even though. Surya boasts a healthy strike rate against the likes, nothing other than the odd full toss has been met with a boundary. India, 84/2 after nine overs. Fifty partnership up between the pair.
Surya stoops low and wrists one down third man for four off Romario Shepherd's first ball. Moves to 46 off 22 deliveries as the ground staff prepares the covers with another shower starting at Guyana. But SKY gets his fifty off the next ball, cutting one down backward point. Fifty for Surya, his third fastest in the format. What a knock this has been! Much more like him. This is the format he prefers, unlike the clone who replaces him in the ODIs. Bodes well for India, who wish for him to take the finisher's role in the 50-over World Cup. India, 79/2 after eight overs.
'We know he's gonna try something!' goes Nicholas Pooran from behind the stumps, pointing towards the deep square leg and backward point region as Roston Chase comes in to bowl his first over. A second spin option for WI in absence of Jason Holder. A good start to the over from him with just two conceded off his first four balls before umpire signals a no-ball. 'Why? Why? Why?' goes Ian Bishop on-air. Varma is unable to cash in on the free hit though: just a single. Surya however, finds his pickings off a lower full toss and the rightie gets it between deep mid wicket and long on. Single to close the over. India, 69/2 after seven overs.
Obed McCoy to close the powerplay. Goes short and Surya is waiting for that length. Pulls it for four down square leg. Switches to round the wicket and goes full and straight, to which Surya flashes out a straight drive down long off for four. Tilak Varma joins in. A pull off a length ball that keeps low for four. Another expensive over from McCoy. 17 off it. India close the powerplay with 60 runs at the cost of two wickets.
Joseph into his second over and gets the breakthrough!
Abhinav Mukund had called it on the comms. Shubman Gill (6 off 11) was getting itchy and went for the pull shot off Joseph but could only top edge it to the fielder inside the circle. India two down as rain drops fall down the Providence Stadium in Guyana.
Tilak Varma is the new man in. India's leading run scorer in the series so far gets off the mark with an exquisite drive off the first ball for four. Blazes another over short third off the next ball. Indicative of his touch with the bat. 43/2 after five overs.
Akeal Hosein continues. Suryakumar Yadav with a sweep in front of the square and steals another boundary, down deep mid wicket. Two balls later, there's a sweep behind the square to negotiate a single. Seven runs from the over. 33/1 after four.
Alzarri Joseph replaces Obed McCoy. Unlike his previous ploys - of a barrage of bouncers - the tall pacer sticks mixing his lengths more often here. Starts with good length before pivoting short and then full and then length again to just beat Gill's outside edge outside off stump. Just the one run comes from that over. India, 26/1 after three.
West Indies deploy spin. Akeal Hosein is the new man in. Concedes a no-ball and Surya goes down on one knee and swirls his bat for a boundary over backward point. Seems like he's had enogh and come determined to make this his chase. There was a bit of an exchange between SKY and keeper Pooran. 25/1 after two overs.
Obed McCoy with the new ball. Yashasvi Jaiswal gets off the mark in T20Is off his first ball. Shubman Gill gets the first boundary, batted down third man for four. Jaiswal though, miscues his second delivery and Alzarri Joseph at mid-on takes the catch. India lose first wicket in the first over.
Suryakumar Yadav is the new man in, and what a start for him. Whips one over mid wicket for four, pulls another over square leg for six. 16/1 after an eventful first over.
Mukesh Kumar to close the innings for India. First ball, bangs in a yorker down the leg stump from over the wicket to keep Powell at bay. No run off the toe crusher. Misses out on a yorker after just two runs come off the first four and Powell cleans the mid wicket boundary. A wide follows. Powell finishes with 40 off 19, West Indies close the innings at 159/5.
Powell at it against Arshdeep. Smokes one over wide long off for six to start the penultimate over putting the pressure right back on the bowler. Steals a double off the next one. Arshdeep strays down the off side for an extra before the Windies captain swings hard at a full delivery outside off for a six down the ground. 17 runs from the over. 148/5 with one more to go.
Mukesh Kumar gets the ball for the first time today, for the 18th over. And he gets the wicket of Shimron Hetmyer, who is unable to clear the boundary down the ground as Tilak Varma takes a good catch running in from long off.
Powell is offered width off a full toss and the Windies skipper just opens the face of his bat to clear the backward point boundary. 131/5 after 18 overs.
Arshdeep Singh into his second over. Hetmyer survives after his pull shot down just falls short of short fine leg and ricochets off him for another boundary - a first in 18 deliveries for the hosts. 10 come off the over. 123/4 after 17
Chahal in for his last over. Will be interesting to see how India finish their overs with Mukesh Kumar yet to bowl, Arshdeep Singh having three overs in his kitty and Hardik Pandya with another one. An lbw shoutout off Chahal's final bowl that beats Hetmyer, who goes for a flick between middle and leg. India go upstairs. Seemed pretty close but the third umpire is convinced without UltraEdge that there's bat involved. 113/4 after 16 overs.
Kuldeep Yadav for his last over, over the wicket to Pooran. Gets one to pitch around middle as Pooran advances down the track but the slight turn beats him and Sanju Samson removes the bails behind the stumps. India get their third wicket, Kuldeep gets a second.
The left-arm chinaman strikes again in the over. Brandon King is the new fish. A soft dismissal this, easiest caught and bowled claims Kuldeep will get to make perhaps. West Indies go four down.
Pooran has taken off alright! Another back of a length delivery but Pooran walks down and dipatches it over mid off for four. Brandon King middles a short one straight down ground for four. 100 up for the West Indies. 12 come off the 14th over. 105/2, West Indies.
Kuldeep into his third over. Pooran goes after the left-arm chinaman. Advances down the track and bangs one over Kuldeep's head for six. The latter goes down on the leg side - noticing Pooran switching his stance - but the southpaw sweet spots his switch hit for four over mid wicket. 13 come off the 13th over. 93/2.
Hardik Pandya back into the attack. Nicholas Pooran is the new batter in for the Windies. The danger man for India and the wicket they'd want quick. Almost get him down fine leg as it falls just short of Arshdeep Singh off a short one from Pandya. That heavy bouncer of his will be testing the in-form southpaw. Brandon King retains strike. 80/2 after 12 overs.
At the current rate, West Indies will close the innings at 145. But they having the batting power to go beyond with the likes of Pooran, Hetmyer and Powell yet to come and King-Charles going for boundaries right now.
Kuldeep Yadav though has troubled Charles early on. An lbw appeal ensues and Sanju Samson convinces Hardik Pandya to go upstairs after the on-field umpire says no. And it proves to be a good call; three reds and Kuldeep gets the wicket. 76/2 after 11 overs.
More runs for Johnson Charles. Finds a thick edge off Axar Patel coming round the wicket and Chahal at short third is unable to stop it. The left-arm orthodox is able to beat Charles outside off stump off the next two deliveries. This has been a good comeback for him after 10 runs went off his first. Ends his spell with 1/24. West Indies are 73/1 at the halfway stage.
Yuzvendra Chahal has a sniff of a wicket. Two infact. Brandon King almost finds Axar Patel at long on off the first ball. Johnson Charles edges one to narrowly escape a leaping first slip off an attempted sweep. Does manage to get his final sweep right as it sails over backward square leg for six. 67/1 after nine overs.
The Windies southpaw had been eyeing that deep square leg-fine leg region for a while now and the Indians had a fielder stationed just in case. Following a lofted boundary over extra cover, Mayers goes for glory and miscues it. Arshdeep Singh takes the catch. Axar Patel has the wicket. Six come off the over, and a wicket. 56/1 after eight.
India introduce their third spinner - Kuldeep Yadav. Kyle Mayers gets a hold off his first delivery and whips it through mid wicket for four. Brandon King goes all the way with a dancing down the track maximum straight over the bowler's head. Fifty partnership up for the openers at the end of the seventh over.
Brandon King finds the boundary off the first ball off Chahal's second. A back of a length delivery on the middle stump is pulled hard on backfoot for four. Six runs come off the sixth over. 38/0 and the field restrictions are lifted.
Kyle Mayers gets lucky. Another one of his big shots directed towards fine leg-deep square leg region doesn't come off. Instead the ball takes a deflection to almost hit the stumps behind. Good comeback from Axar. Just the two runs come off his second. 32/0 after five.
Clearly India are going for something different here by bringing in Yuzvendra Chahal from the other end after Axar Patel got smothered for 10 in the third. But Kyle Mayers reads that as a green flag to go hard. A slog sweep for six to start off the leggie's spell. King gets lucky later in the over as the googly from Chahal takes an inside edge off his bat, misses the stumps and goes through the keeper for four. 11 off the over. 30/0 after four.
Axar Patel is brought in early. King takes him early on with a slap through extra cover for four. Kyle Mayers gets in on the act. A sweep that dissects the two fielders inside the circle square behind the wicket and goes for four. Ten runs come off the over. 19/0 after three overs.
Arshdeep Singh comes in from the other end. Good bit of bounce to start off from over the wicket against the right hander. First boundary comes up for King and the Windies. A cut played on the rise, beats the fielder at point and the another one running in to his left at the boundary. 9/0 after two.
A cover drive that's goes to the fielder at extra cover but is grounded, unlike that last match. King and Myers off the mark. Not your typical T20 wicket this, wise from the Windies openers to take a bit of time and keep the risks for later. 3/0 after the first over.
Right then. A first T20I series for the West Indies since 2016 or a first T20I series defeat for India since 2021. Which is it going to be today? The Indian players make their way onto the field. So do the two West Indies openers - Brandon King and Kyle Mayers. The wicket, having been used two days back, is expected to get slower as the game progresses. A slight delay in the middle as the 30-yard circle hasn't been set up. The players vacating the field.
Alright, we're good to go. King takes the strike. Hardik Pandya with the new ball. Off we go!
"Little bit cloudy. It's the same pitch as the second T20I. 66 meters on one side, 67 on the other, and 77 down the ground. Pitch looks good. It's a bit drier than the second T20I. No green blades of grass. It's still very hard. Spin will play a little more leading role in wicket-taking," reckons Darren Ganga.
India go with two changes. Ishan Kishan misses out, Yashasvi Jaiswal will make his T20I debut and open the batting alongside Shubman Gill. Kuldeep Yadav returns for Ravi Bishnoi.
Here's the India XI: Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya(c), Sanju Samson(w), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mukesh Kumar
Just the one change for the West Indies. Roston Chase comes in for Jason Holder, who misses out to a niggle in his knee.
Here's the Windies lineup: Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Johnson Charles, Nicholas Pooran(w), Rovman Powell(c), Shimron Hetmyer, Romario Shepherd, Roston Chase, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Obed McCoy
Rovman Powell: We'll bat first. Looks a little slow wicket. Holder in the last game picked up a niggle to his knee. He misses out, Chase comes in. Guys are excited, we are on the doorstep on history. They have such quality players, have to keep them on their toes. If you become predictable, they will destroy you.
Hardik Pandya: Don't mind chasing. Obviously would've preferred to bat looking at the surface. Might get slower. It is what it is. Pooran has been batting very well. Would like to keep things simple to him, rather than trying a lot of things. Two changes, Yashasvi makes his debut, Kuldeep comes in for Bishnoi. Ishan misses out.
Rovman Powell has won the toss and West Indies will bat first.
THIS JUST IN: Visuals from the Providence Stadium in Guyana confirm, Yashasvi Jaiswal has received his maiden T20I cap ahead of the 3rd T20I.
Former India cricketers Robin Uthappa and Abhinav Mukund has called Hardik Pandya’s captaincy “baffling” after his decision to go back to Arshdeep Singh and not Yuzvendra Chahal in the 18th over.
"Ten times out of ten you would have gone with Chahal and tried to close out the game there, especially with Alzarri Joseph in there. I understand that the left-hander is still there, but you’ve got Hetmyer out in the previous over bowling a full one and you have the bigger boundary to deal with," Mukund said. (Read more)
With Pakistan’s participation getting the final stamp of approval to play at the 2023 ODI World Cup, the ball is now in India’s court. And with Ahmedabad set to host India’s game with Pakistan, and also the final, all eyes will be on the close- to-one-lakh capacity stadium that in the past has hosted an event featuring the POTUS and Indian PM Modi. (Read Sandeep Dwivedi's sports column from last week)
Rohit Sharma may not have featured in the Indian T20I side since the World Cup semifinal thrashing from England last year but the ODI and Test skipper may not be done with the format just yet.
“At the moment I think it was made clear in the past that it’s a 50-over World Cup year for us. And for some of the guys, it’s not possible to play all formats. If you look at the schedule, there were back-to-back matches, so we decided on just looking at some players’ workload that we wanted to make sure that they get enough break time and manage them. I definitely fall in that (category) as well,” Rohit said at a recent event. (Read more)
India: Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Sanju Samson (wk), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan.
West Indies: Kyle Mayers, Brandon King, Johnson Charles, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell (c), Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Obed McCoy
Rovman Powell: "It's a very good position to be. Since 2016 we haven't won T20 series. It was deliberate to change the bowlers constantly and give one over spell, especially fast bowlers because it is very hot. When you are batting wrist spin, it is hand as a right-hander. To limit Chahal, Kuldeep and Bishnoi we need left-handers. To have Pooran and Hetmyer is important to counter that."
Earlier this year, Ravindra Jadeja posted a photo with Tilak Varma on his Instagram handle with the caption, “chilling with the future of India”. Jadeja has been proved right. It wasn’t just Jadeja who saw the talent in Verma, others too had seen it coming. Sunil Gavaskar and Rohit Sharma had called him an “all-format batter” for India.
“My inspiration has been Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma. I spend more time with Rohit bhai. In my first IPL, he had told me that Tilak you are an all format cricketer. It boosted my confidence. His guidance has been massive for me,” Tilak told reporters after the second T20I. (Read more)
With two consecutive defeats, India are expected to make changes in their lineup for the third T20I. The Indian Express presents the playing XI tip off:
-Yashasvi Jaiswal comes in
-Sanju Samson retains his place
-Avesh Khan replaces Mukesh Kumar
-Kuldeep Yadav to return for Ravi Bishnoi (Read more)
Tilak Varma's debut series for India has given them an added option in terms of a left hander, and someone who can be an all-format player, as suggested to him by the India and MI skipper Rohit Sharma. Ravi Ashwin claims he can be another option to explore in the middle order for the ODI World Cup.With his field manipulation, fearless batting and copybook technique, Tilak Varma may as well turn out to be the same. Rahul Pandey elaborates on his batting exploits during his debut.
Exactly two months prior to their opening game in the upcoming 50-over World Cup, the Indian think tank must ask itself, following untimely injuries to KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, and Shreyas Iyer, whether they have any batsmen who may be able to play even a few of the many roles Yuvraj played for India the last time they triumphed at this stage at home. (Read more from Namit Kumar).
When the hosts lost two wickets in the first four balls of the innings, a shambolic defeat looked imminent. But Nicholas Pooran produced 67 runs off 40 balls to revive their hopes. His departure though precipitated a collapse, as only West Indies could conjure these days, and his side teetered to the edge of another defeat. But Hosein and Joseph displayed composure that the lower-middle order lacked to guide them home. (Read Sandip G's report from the last game)
It has barely gone the way most Indian, or even the West Indies fans would've pictured it to go. After two off the five matches, West Indies lead 2-0 and need just the one win to seal a first T20I bilateral series win since 2016. A first in seven years. That too against a team constituting of enviable IPL riches albeit fresh at the international stage.
For Hardik Pandya and Co, there couldn't be a better test. In order to avoid their first T20I series defeat since July 2021, three wins off three games are needed at venues that'll host the T20 World Cup next summer. Was the decision to drop some of the big names from the format following the T20 World Cup debacle the right move? Can they do this without them? Can they do the format without them? Will we get the answers to these questions by the end of this series? Hang on to your cushy seats as we try and explore the answers as we bring you the live action from Guyana today.