West Indies kept their series hopes alive with a 24-run victory over India in Hyderabad on Wednesday , powered by a century from captain Shai Hope and a five-wicket haul from Keemo Paul.
The victory levelled the five-match T20 International series at 2-2, setting up a winner-takes-all showdown in Bengaluru on Saturday.
Chasing 248 for victory, India were bowled out for 223 with three balls remaining in the innings.
The hosts had earlier powered to 60 without loss, before Keemo Paul removed opener Sanju Samson with the first ball of his spell.
Samson was the first of five wickets for Paul, who ended with figures of five for 41. During his 23-ball innings, Samson blasted 56 runs including six fours and four sixes.
Paul quickly accounted for Ishan Kishan for six, while captain Shreyas Iyer was dismissed by Shamar Springer for 16 in the ninth over, as India reached 97 for three.
Two wickets from Gudakesh Motie in the 12th over swung the match heavily in the West Indies’ favour, as he removed Abhishek Sharma for 29, before outfoxing Naman Dhir one ball later, when he was stumped by wicketkeeper Shai Hope.
Nitish Kumar Reddy mounted some resistance with 41 from 20 balls, before he was dismissed by Paul, who also accounted for Axar Patel and Prince Yadav.
For West Indies, Motie chipped in with bowling figures of two for 13, while there was a wicket apiece for Shamar Springer and Romario Shepherd.
Before play began, West Indies made two changes to their team replacing opening batsman Kamil Pooran for Jewel Andrew, while Shepherd returned to the side after injury, as Quentin Sampson missed out.
Andrew made a rapid start alongside captain Hope, with the pair pushing the score to 52 in the fifth over, before Andrew was dismissed for 21 off 16 balls.
Shimron Hetmyer then smashed 33 from 12 deliveries before returning to the pavilion, as West Indies progressed to 110 for 2 in the ninth over.
With Hope continuing to showcase the full array of shots that have made him the undisputed star of the tour so far, Rovman Powell added 24 while Sherfane Rutherford continued his excellent series with 49 not out from 26 balls, including four fours and three sixes.
Needing 11 runs from the final two balls to reach his century, Player-of-the-Match Hope hammered both deliveries for consecutive sixes, to end unbeaten on 102 from 50 balls, including four fours and nine sixes.
His third T20 International century for West Indies saw him break a three-way tie with Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis.
Hope scored 278 runs during the three-match ODI series at an average of 139 and has so far scored 261 runs during the four T20 games at an average of 130.5.
(KH)
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