WI vs IND: 3rd T20I Review – Suryakumar guides India to series lead
A spirited Team India got the better of the West Indies by seven wickets in the third T20I at St Kitts on Tuesday, August 2 and by the virtue of this win have taken a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. It was Suryakumar Yadav who starred with the bat for the Men in Blue by making his bat do the talking as he scored a match-winning half-century in the middle order.
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma called it right at the toss and elected to bowl first. The Windies got off to a good start as Brandon King and Kyle Mayers added 57 runs for the opening stand. Mayers and captain Nicholas Pooran then added 50 runs for the second wicket. It was Kyle Mayers who stood tall while the other batters failed to convert their good starts as he scored 73 runs off 50 deliveries which powered the West Indies to 164/5.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the pick of the bowlers for India with figures of 2/35 while Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh picked up one scalp each.
In reply, Rohit Sharma had to retire hurt at 11 due to a back spasm leaving his team in a spot of bother. Nonetheless, Suryakumar Yadav came to the rescue and took the attack to the Windies bowlers. He also got good support from Shreyas Iyer (24). Yadav’s stellar knock brought India on the cusp of victory. In the end, Rishabh Pant helped the visitors get past the finish line with an unbeaten 26-ball 33.
For the West Indies, Dominic Drakes, Jason Holder and Akeal Hosein finished with one wicket each.
Top performers of the game
Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav roared back to form just when it mattered. He once again performed to his potential under pressure when India suffered an early setback after skipper Rohit Sharma was forced to retire hurt. Yadav ensured that the visitors did not press the panic button and anchored the chase with a calm and composed mindset. He scored 76 runs from 44 balls at a strike rate of 173.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Senior pace Bhuvneshwar Kumar is peaking just at the right time. He was yet again consistent with the ball in hand and ensured that he played a key role in restricting the West Indies to a manageable total. Kumar finished with figures of 2/35 from his four overs at an economy of 8.8.
What’s next for both sides?
Both West Indies and India will be locking horns in the all-important fourth T20I at Central Broward Park Lauderhill in Florida on Saturday, August 6.
