India beat WI by 14 runs, take 2-1 lead in T20I series
Indore, Oct 11 (UNI) India survived a sensational late assault from Shamar Springer to beat the West Indies by 14 runs in the third T20 International here on Sunday, taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
Chasing 224 for victory, the West Indies finished at 209 for seven in their 20 overs after Springer smashed an unbeaten 35 off just 11 balls, including four sixes and two fours, to threaten an improbable turnaround at the Holkar Stadium. India's victory was built on Abhishek Sharma's explosive 69 off 30 balls and a collective bowling effort led by Arshdeep Singh, who claimed three wickets for 44 runs. Naman Dhir chipped in with two wickets, while Axar Patel and Nitish Kumar Reddy took one each.
Earlier, Abhishek's six fours and five sixes powered India to 223 all out after West Indies captain Shai Hope opted to bowl. Ishan Kishan provided strong support with 37 off 18 balls as the hosts raced to 87 in the mandatory powerplay. The pair added 108 runs for the second wicket before Roston Chase dismissed Kishan and trapped India captain Shreyas Iyer for one in the same over.
Abhishek fell to Shamar Springer for 69, triggering a middle-order collapse that saw India lose three wickets for nine runs. Tilak Varma made 28 off 16 balls, while Nitish Kumar Reddy scored 21 off 14 deliveries. Naman Dhir contributed 10 off five balls, and Axar Patel made 20 off 14 balls, but India's progress was repeatedly undermined by poor running between the wickets. Varma and Axar were both run out following costly communication failures, while Arshdeep Singh struck a late six before falling for 11.
Prince Yadav's unbeaten 13 off six balls, including five boundaries in the closing stages, helped India reach 223 before Mayank Yadav was bowled off the final delivery.
In reply, the West Indies suffered an early setback when Hope was bowled by Arshdeep for five. However, Kamil Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer counter-attacked with a 60-run partnership for the second wicket to revive the chase. Hetmyer struck 43 off 26 balls, including six fours and two sixes, while Pooran made 42 off 27 deliveries with three fours and three sixes. Their aggressive approach kept the required run rate within reach before Naman Dhir removed Hetmyer and later dismissed Pooran. Rovman Powell fell for five to Axar Patel, leaving the visitors under pressure. Sherfane Rutherford then made 32 off 20 balls, while Quentin Sampson contributed 21 off 15 deliveries, but India struck at crucial moments to prevent the partnership from becoming decisive.
Nitish Kumar Reddy dismissed Sampson for 21, while Arshdeep returned to remove Keemo Paul and Rutherford in the 18th over, reducing the West Indies to 174 for seven. Springer, however, refused to surrender. His extraordinary hitting in the final overs brought the visitors back into contention, with the right-hander scoring at a strike rate of 318.18. He remained unbeaten alongside Roston Chase, who made five not out, but the required rate proved too steep as India held on for victory.
Arshdeep's three wickets proved crucial despite his expensive spell, while Naman Dhir's two breakthroughs helped India break the middle-order resistance. The hosts had conceded 54 runs in the powerplay but recovered through timely wickets to restrict the West Indies to 209 for seven. The 14-run win gave India a hard-fought victory in a contest that swung sharply in the closing overs, with Abhishek's early fireworks and Springer's late counter-attack providing the defining performances of the match.
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