Current Match Report – India vs West Indies 2nd T20I 2023

West Indies 155 or 8 (Pooran 67, Pandya 3-35, Chahal 2-19) beat India 152 for 7 (Tilak 51, Joseph 2-28, Shepherd 2-28) by two wickets

West Indies beat India in back-to-back T20Is for the primary time since 2016, thus giving themselves each likelihood of triumphing over India in a T20I collection (two video games or extra) for the primary time in seven years. However none of this was with out drama. With 27 runs to get off 37 balls and 6 wickets nonetheless in hand within the chase of 153, West Indies misplaced 4 for 3 within the area of 13 deliveries, their easy progress hitting severe turbulence.Who would have thought then that they might win with seven balls to spare? Finally, it took an unbroken ninth-wicket partnership of 26 between Nos. 9 and 10 Akeal Hosein and Alzarri Joseph to get their aspect dwelling.However earlier than rescuing West Indies with the bat, each Hosein and Joseph grabbed two wickets every – as did Romario Shepherd – to set the bottom for the win by limiting India to 152. Nicholas Pooran then led the trouble with the bat, clobbering 67 off 40 balls with six fours and 4 sixes to maintain India beneath strain for a lot of the chase.

Powell’s calls, bowlers’ execution spot on

Rovman Powell had misplaced the toss, however his techniques ensured India’s batters hardly felt settled on a pitch the place the ball was gripping and turning. All through India’s innings, there have been solely two events when a West Indies bowler bowled no less than two overs in a row. And even that first occurred solely when Jason Holder bowled the ninth and eleventh overs, with the fixed rotation of bowlers not permitting India any momentum.

Obed McCoy, Holder, Hosein and Joseph executed the plan to perfection, combining to seize 4 for 111 throughout 16 overs – an financial system fee of lower than seven an over – throughout a number of change-ups. There have been quick ones zipping and skidding by on the two-paced pitch – from the tempo bowlers and the left-arm spinner Hosein alike – in addition to slower balls, cutters and turning deliveries, which India’s batters couldn’t come up with.

West Indies received the whole lot they may have hoped for on Sunday to maintain India in verify: the slowness of the pitch taking part in an element in a vanguard from Shubman Gill, a direct-hit to run Suryakumar Yadav out, flip to have Sanju Samson stumped, and tempo and accuracy to wash up Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan. Batting was tough on this observe usually too, as India struggling to 53 for two off the primary 9 overs indicated.

Ishan Kishan was cleaned up by Romario Shepherd•Related Press

Tilak’s maturity holds India collectively

On debut within the earlier sport, Tilak Varma wasn’t afraid of pulling back-to-back sixes to open his runs tally regardless of India having not began properly within the chase. He hit 39 from 22 balls there, in Tarouba, as India fell simply quick. Three days later, Tilak was completely satisfied to play anchor. He got here in at 18 for two within the fourth over, with Gill and Suryakumar’s lean returns persevering with.

Regardless of hitting two boundaries, Tilak was solely on 21 off his first 24 balls. However even then these fours hinted at his confidence: the primary was a clear loft over mid-on, the subsequent a daring scoop over short-fine leg. He finally upped the tempo and completed with 51 from 41, although he did take pleasure in some luck.

When on 25, his pull shot was anticipated by Shepherd at quick high-quality leg, the place he caught his proper hand up just for the ball to brush it and trickle to the rope; on 30, McCoy ran and dived to his left from long-on, however dropped one other powerful likelihood. However a reverse-sweep for 4 and a heave over quick high-quality for six quickly after confirmed Tilak nonetheless wasn’t afraid to take his possibilities.

Pooran shakes India up

Pooran had arrived on the crease with West Indies 2 for two after 4 balls, and managed solely a single from his first 5 deliveries. However he then got here to life as if abruptly waking up from deep sleep. Pandya was heaved over long-on for six and slashed by level for 4 within the third over; Mukesh Kumar was slapped and drilled by cowl for fours within the fifth; and Ravi Bishnoi was deposited for 4, 6, 4, 4 to finish the powerplay.

That gave West Indies 61 runs off the primary six overs, and Pooran received to his half-century off 29 balls to begin the tenth over. All of it regarded rosy for West Indies whereas he was on the crease, earlier than his dismissal triggered that mini-collapse and set nerves jangling of their dressing room. Thankfully for them, a stoic Hosein and Joseph have been as much as their process.

Himanshu Agrawal is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo