India Bounce Back in Indore, Beat Ranchi Setback to Regain T20I Series Lead With Bowling Revival

India Recover From Ranchi Setback, Beat West Indies by 14 Runs to Take T20I Series Lead

India produced a much-improved bowling performance to defeat the West Indies by 14 runs in the fourth T20I at Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday. Defending a total of 223, the hosts restricted the visitors to 209 for 7, taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

The victory marked a strong response from India after their disappointing loss in Ranchi, where Shai Hope’s unbeaten century had powered the West Indies to a memorable chase of 250. This time, India’s bowlers maintained their composure, taking wickets at crucial moments and executing their plans effectively in the closing overs.

India made two changes to their playing XI, bringing in Prince Yadav and Nitish Kumar Reddy in place of Shivam Dube and Kuldeep Yadav. Both players made useful contributions, with Nitish breaking a dangerous partnership and Prince delivering an impressive spell under pressure.

Arshdeep Singh spearheaded the bowling effort with three wickets, while Naman Dhir claimed two. Axar Patel and Nitish chipped in with one wicket each as India successfully defended their total on a surface that favoured batters.

Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan Provide Explosive Start

India’s innings began with an aggressive approach, although a middle-order collapse prevented the hosts from converting their flying start into an even bigger total.

Sanju Samson managed only three runs before Shamar Joseph dismissed him in the second over. Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan then took charge, launching a powerful counterattack that put the West Indies bowlers under immediate pressure.

The duo added 108 runs for the second wicket, finding boundaries regularly and taking India past the 100-run mark in just 7.2 overs. Their partnership raised the possibility of another total beyond 250.

Abhishek was the more destructive of the two, reaching his half-century in only 18 balls. He eventually departed for 69 off 30 deliveries, having struck six fours and five sixes.

Kishan provided excellent support with a quickfire 37 off 18 balls, including six fours and a six. Their partnership gave India a commanding platform before the West Indies fought back through Shamar Springer and Roston Chase.

West Indies Bowlers Trigger India’s Middle-Order Collapse

Springer ended Abhishek’s innings when the left-hander mistimed a pull shot and returned a top edge that the bowler caught himself. Kishan soon followed, losing his wicket to Chase after attempting to attack the spinner down the ground.

Chase continued to trouble India, trapping captain Shreyas Iyer lbw for just one. The three quick dismissals shifted the momentum towards the visitors and exposed India’s middle order to mounting pressure.

Naman Dhir scored a brisk 10 before being caught off Springer, while Nitish Kumar Reddy contributed 21 from 14 balls before being dismissed by Shai Hope.

Tilak Varma and Axar Patel attempted to stabilise the innings, but both departed through run-outs. Tilak was dismissed for 28 off 16 deliveries after a lapse in awareness, while Axar fell for 20 following a mix-up with Arshdeep Singh.

India eventually finished on 223 in their allotted 20 overs. Prince Yadav added a late burst of boundaries before Shamar Joseph bowled Mayank Yadav on the final delivery.

Chase, Joseph and Springer claimed two wickets each for the West Indies, helping their side recover after India’s explosive start.

Arshdeep Removes Shai Hope to Give India Early Advantage

The West Indies began their chase with confidence, knowing the pitch offered plenty of opportunities for aggressive batting. However, India struck an important early blow through Arshdeep.

The left-arm pacer dismissed captain Shai Hope for five in the second over, preventing the batter from repeating his match-winning performance in Ranchi, where he had scored an unbeaten 102.

Despite the early setback, Shimron Hetmyer and Kamil Pooran launched an aggressive counterattack. Their 60-run partnership briefly threatened to put India under pressure as the required run rate remained within reach.

Hetmyer struck 43 off 26 balls, including six fours and two sixes, while Pooran scored 42 from 27 deliveries. The pair kept the chase alive before Naman Dhir intervened with two crucial wickets.

Dhir removed Hetmyer and Pooran in quick succession, breaking the partnership and forcing the West Indies to rebuild. Axar Patel then dismissed Rovman Powell for five, further weakening the visitors’ position.

India’s bowlers had succeeded in disrupting the opposition’s rhythm, preventing the kind of sustained partnership that had proved decisive in the previous match.

Nitish and Prince Strengthen India’s Bowling Revival

Nitish Kumar Reddy delivered at a crucial stage by dismissing Quentin Sampson for 21, with Tilak Varma completing the catch in the deep. The breakthrough came just as the batter appeared ready to accelerate.

Prince Yadav also impressed with his control, limiting the West Indies’ scoring opportunities during the closing stages. India’s bowling changes began to pay off as the visitors struggled to maintain the required scoring rate while losing wickets at regular intervals.

Sherfane Rutherford attempted to keep the chase alive with 32 off 20 balls, but Arshdeep returned at a decisive moment to turn the match firmly in India’s favour.

In the 18th over, Arshdeep used accurate yorkers to dismiss Rutherford and Keemo Paul, leaving the West Indies with a steep task in the final overs.

Shamar Springer launched a late counterattack, smashing 35 runs off just 11 deliveries and briefly raising hopes of a dramatic finish. However, India’s earlier breakthroughs had left the visitors with too much ground to cover.

The West Indies ultimately finished at 209 for 7, falling 14 runs short of the target.

India’s improved performance with the ball proved decisive after the disappointment in Ranchi. With Arshdeep leading the attack and valuable contributions from Dhir, Axar, Nitish and Prince, the hosts regained the series advantage and moved one step closer to securing the five-match contest.