West Indies beat India to level T20 series as Hope continues record run

Shai Hope’s 102 gives West Indies a 24-run series-levelling win over India in fourth cricket T20 as another record falls.

Shai Hope set a West Indies record by reaching 102 not out as West Indies beat India by 24 runs Wednesday in the fourth cricket T20 to level the five-match series at 2-2.

It was the second-highest first innings total in T20s against India, trailing England’s 257-3 in Southampton this year.

Put into bat, Hope gave West Indies a flying by putting on 52 off 26 balls with Jewel Andrew (21). Axar Patel trapped Andrew lbw in the fifth over but West Indies still got 79-1 in the powerplay.

Hope also became only the fifth batter to score multiple hundreds in a bilateral T20 series. Overall, it was his fourth hundred in seven innings across ODIs and T20s on this tour.

Sherfane Rutherford scored 49 not out off 26 balls to provide the final flourish, hitting four fours and three sixes, as West Indies breached 200.

Hope and Rutherford added 91 off only 43 balls, as India served a slow over-rate penalty in the final over. Nitish Reddy gave away 19 runs in the 20th, with Hope reaching his century with a six off the last ball.

Keemo Paul struck twice in the fifth over – Samson was out caught at square leg on the first ball and then three balls later, Ishan Kishan was caught at deep mid wicket for six.

Abhishek Sharma didn’t get going, scoring 29 off 24 balls, with three fours and a six. His dismissal was the turning point – he was caught off Gudakesh Motie at long off in the 12th over.

Tilak Varma fought hard with 43 off 25 balls along with Nitish Reddy’s cameo (41 off 20 balls) but it went in vain.