Indore : Crucial wickets from Arshdeep Singh and Naman Dhir helped India stem the run-flow of a fighting West Indies team, beating them by 14 runs in the third T20I of the five-match series to keep the series alive on Sunday.
With this win at Indore, India is 2-1 ahead in the series. Despite a collapse from 115/1 to 135/5, India managed to score 223 runs. However, timely scalps from Arshdeep Singh (3/44) and Naman Dhir (2/39) helped India restrict Windies to 209/7.
During the chase, West Indies were off to a poor start as they lost the in-form skipper Shai Hope for just five, with a delivery by Arshdeep Singh nipping back and hitting the middle stump. WI was 7/1 in 1.5 overs.
The pairing of Shimron Hetmyer and Kamil Pooran put back pressure on India, getting 19 runs in the fourth over, with a four by Kamil and two fours and a six by Hetmyer against Arshdeep.
Hetmyer continued to bash pace, getting two boundaries in the final powerplay over against Mayank Yadav, with WI reaching 54 runs at the end of six overs.
Hetmyer got a couple of fours against Naman Dhir in the seventh over, but the all-rounder castled his stumps for 26-ball 43, including six fours and two sixes. WI was 67/2 in seven overs after Naman enjoyed the last laugh.
Rovman Powell, the former skipper, could not stick around, becoming Axar Patel's first wicket for just five runs. WI was 82/3 in 9.4 overs. Halfway through, WI was 84/3, with Kamil Pooran (23*) and Sherfane Rutherford (1*) unbeaten.
Kamil bullied Naman with three sixes in the 11th over; however, the spin-bowling all-rounder once again enjoyed success, getting him out for 27 balls, 42, courtesy of a catch from Arshdeep at deep backward square leg. Kamil went back, hitting three fours and sixes each, with WI 105/4 in 11 overs.
At the end of 15 overs, WI was 149/4, with Quentin Sampson (20*) and Sherfane (23*) unbeaten.
Nitish Kumar Reddy ended the partnership, removing Simpson for 15-ball 21. WI was 151/5 in 15.3 overs.
In the 18th over, Arshdeep sealed the game for India, taking wickets of Keemo Paul (10) and Sherfane (32 in 20 balls, with two fours and four sixes). India had WI down 174/7 in 17.5 overs.
Shamar Springer unleashed a six-spree against Axar Patel, smashing him for three sixes and a four in the final over, but it was still not enough as WI ended at 209/7, with Springer (35* off 11 balls, with two fours and four sixes) and Roston Chase (5*) unbeaten.
Arshdeep Singh (3/44) was the top bowler for India, with Naman also getting two wickets. Axar and Nitish also got a wicket each.
Earlier, a blistering half-century from Abhishek Sharma and his century stand with Ishan Kishan helped India reach 223 in 20 overs. India was racing towards a massive total at one point, but collapsed from 115/1 to 135/5. India did manage to get a few partnerships going, but a few unfortunate run-outs and wickets left India short of what could have been a 250-run-plus total.
Put to bat first by West Indies, India was confined to taking singles for the first two overs, with the pressure on West Indies and Shamar Joseph, and the wicket of Sanju Samson (three in six balls), with India at 7/1 in 1.4 overs.
In the next over, Abhishek broke the shackles, depositing Roston for two sixes and a four, while Ishan Kishan greeted Keemo Paul with a four over deep midwicket and ended the over with another four over mid-off.
Abhishek, who became the sixth player to join India's 2,000-run T20I club, made an absolute feast out of Shamar Springer, ending the fifth over with 4,4 and a 6. India touched the 50-run mark in 4.2 overs.
The left-handed batters continued their dominance against Shamar in the final over of the powerplay, getting 21 more runs, with two fours and a six by Abhishek and a four from Ishan. Abhishek reached his half-century in 18 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes. India was 87/1 in six overs.
Abhishek and Ishan continued the onslaught on Keemo, getting a four each in the seventh over.
India crossed the 100-run mark in 7.2 overs.
However, it was Roston who ended the 108-run stand, getting Ishan stumped for 18-ball 37, with six fours and a six. India was 115/2 in 8.2 overs. In the same over, he also managed to get the Indian skipper Shreyas Iyer with a deceptive slower delivery for just one, leaving India at 117/3 in 8.5 overs.
The game continued to turn in WI's favour as Springer produced a top-edge off Abhishek's bat, getting him for 69 in 30 balls, with six fours and five sixes. India was 124/4 in 9.5 overs.
India's slide continued as Gudakesh Motie got Naman Dhir for a five-ball 10, with India at 135/5 in 10.5 overs.
The 13th over by Shamar Joseph started swinging the momentum back for India, with both Tilak Verma and Nitish Kumar Reddy getting two fours each and India reaching the 150-run mark in 12.3 overs.
However, the budding partnership between the duo was ended by Keemo, with Nitish handing a catch to skipper Shai Hope for 21 off 14 balls, with three fours. India was 169/6 in 14.2 overs.
Axar Patel resumed the rebuilding alongside Tilak, with the duo taking India to 190, but a horrible run-out of Tilak Verma for 28 off 16 balls ended the effort, with India at 194/7 in 16.4 overs.
India reached the 200-run mark in 17.4 overs. Another run-out ended Axar's knock at 20 in 14 balls, with Arshdeep Singh's poor call for a run contributing to a wicket. India was 202/8 in 18.1 overs.
Springer continued India's downfall, getting Arshdeep for a cameo off 11 runs, with India reduced to 210/9 in 19 overs.
In the final over, Prince Yadav decided to unleash some innovation, including a remarkable scoop for four, getting three boundaries in four overs, taking India past the 220-mark. India managed 223 on the board, with Mayank Yadav (0*) cleaned up by a scorching yorker from Shamar Joseph.
Roston (2/38), Shamar (2/54) and Springer (2/50) were among the top wicket-takers for India.
India: 223 - (Abhishek Sharma 69, Ishan Kishan 37, Roston Chase 2/38) beat WI:209/7 (Shimron Hetmyer 43, Kamil Pooran 42, Arshdeep Singh 3/44).