West Indies Equal T20 Series Against India with Shai Hope's Century

Shai Hope scored an impressive 102 not out as the West Indies defeated India by 24 runs in the fourth T20 match, leveling the five-match series at 2-2. The match took place on Wednesday and marked Hope's third T20 century, a record for a West Indies player.

Batting first, the West Indies amassed a total of 247 runs for the loss of three wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Under the conditions, India lost the toss and chose to bowl. This total is notable as it represents the second-highest first innings score recorded in T20 matches against India, only trailing behind England's 257 runs scored in Southampton earlier this year.

Hope exhibited an explosive batting performance, hitting nine sixes and four fours en route to his century. He formed a critical partnership with Jewel Andrew, scoring 52 runs off just 26 balls before Andrew was dismissed lbw by Axar Patel in the fifth over. At the end of the powerplay, the West Indies had accumulated 79 runs for one wicket.

Following Andrew’s dismissal, Hope collaborated for an additional 58 runs with Shimron Hetmyer, who contributed 33 runs. Hope reached his half-century in just 28 balls, significantly boosted by his sixes. He effectively completed his century, hitting four more sixes, making him only the fifth player to score multiple centuries in a bilateral T20 series.

In total, this was Hope's fourth century across both One Day Internationals and T20s in just seven innings during this tour. His next partner, Sherfane Rutherford, also played a notable role, remaining unbeaten on 49 from 26 balls, as the West Indies surpassed the 200-run mark. The pair put on a rapid 91-run partnership off only 43 balls.

In their response, India attempted to chase the total with Sanju Samson leading the charge, scoring 56 runs off 23 balls. However, the visitors struggled during their innings, collapsing to 130 for five. They ultimately finished their batting at 223 runs in 19.3 overs.

Keemo Paul was a standout performer with the ball for the West Indies, claiming five wickets at the expense of 41 runs, which marked his second five-wicket haul in T20 cricket.

The fifth and deciding T20 match is scheduled to take place in Bengaluru on Saturday, promising to provide a fitting conclusion to an exciting series.