Ranchi, Oct 9 (PTI) Skipper Shai Hope’s unbeaten 102, an ensemble of genius and power, helped the West Indies gatecrash India’s party with a stunning six-wicket win in the second T20I here on Friday.
The five-match series is now level at 1-1 after the Windies pulled off the highest T20I chase against India, which was also the overall second highest chase in the format.
Set a record 250-run target, West Indies rode on Hope’s knock, which came off 45 balls (6×4, 9×6), to reach home.
There was substantial support for the Bajan cricketer from Sherfane Rutherford (84, 37b; 7×4, 7×6) and Romario Shepherd (34, 13b) as WI overhauled the target in 18.3 overs.
For India, Sanju Samson roared back to form with a blistering 82 before Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma’s rapid knocks powered them to 249/5.
The Windies’ chase did not start on a bright note as Mayank Yadav clocked 140-plus regularly to strike twice in successive deliveries, removing Kamil Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer.
But Hope and Rutherford tore into India’s spin attack, which struggled to grip the ball under heavy dew.
Hope, who struck back-to-back centuries in the preceding ODI series before scoring a fifty in the first T20I, continued his rich vein of form with a 24-ball half-century.
He capped the chase by launching Axar Patel over the ropes for his second T20I century.
Rutherford matched Hope’s aggression with a 24-ball fifty, as the pair added 120 runs in just 54 balls to revive the chase.
Rutherford was dropped on 38 when Mayank spilled a straightforward chance off Kuldeep Yadav.
The pair brought up a 100-run alliance off just 43 balls, with Hope and Rutherford clearing the ropes with ease.
Shepherd then provided the late flourish, as West Indies plundered 41 runs across the 17th and 18th overs to seal the victory.
Earlier, after four straight low scores, Samson smashed a 21-ball fifty, his ninth in T20Is, to set the tone for Indian innings in an entertaining 97-run partnership (43b) with Ishan Kishan.
It eventually led the hosts to their highest-ever T20I total against the West Indies.
The duo powered India to 139/1 in 11 overs at a run-rate of over 12, with Kishan contributing a 22-ball 43.
However, off-spinner Roston Chase, returning to the attack in the middle overs broke the stand, with two wickets in successive overs.
Kishan and Shivam Dube (7) were bowled while attempting to play across the line. The move to promote Dube to No. 4 failed as he struggled to get going and fell after consuming 10 balls.
Samson’s thrilling knock ended in the 15th over, with his ramp shot over deep backward point going straight to Kamil Pooran.
India lost three wickets for 23 runs in the middle overs but skipper Shreyas Iyer, fresh from his maiden T20I century at Lucknow, carried his form into this match.
Iyer counter-attacked with effortless shots in his 18-ball 40, while Tilak remained unbeaten on 44 (18b).
Tilak also crossed 5,000 T20 runs and kept the pressure on the West Indies with crisp, well-placed boundaries in their 83-run partnership that came off just 32 balls.
India followed the same template with Abhishek Sharma getting into his zone early. He charged at everything as the hosts raced forward at over 10 runs an over after being asked to bat.
There was hardly anything in the pitch for bowlers, and Abhishek hammered spinner Akeal Hosein for a six after holding back for the first five balls.
Samson began unconvincingly with a series of miscued shots, and was lucky to survive on six when Pooran failed to hold on to a chance at cover off Hosein.
Another top edge flew away for four as fortune continued to favour the Kerala batter.
But Samson made the most of his reprieves, taking apart Hosein with three sixes and two fours as India raced to 64/1 in five overs.
Abhishek (20; 12b) meanwhile departed trying to break free after a few dot balls, mistiming a pull off Chase’s short delivery for a comfortable catch to Gudakesh Moti at mid-on.
But by then, Samson raced to the 40s, and luck continued to favour him. Motie put down another chance at mid-off, failing to hold on to a chipped drive.
Samson rubbed salt into the wound, cracking two fours off Shepherd, the second drive fetched his fifty off just 21 balls. PTI TAP UNG TAP UNG
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