Team India secured a 14-run victory over the West Indies in the third T20I at Holkar Stadium to take a 2-1 series lead. However, the high-octane match was overshadowed by a violent physical altercation between spectators in the stands. The teams will next face off in Hyderabad for the fourth T20I.
Team India, led by Shreyas Iyer, took a five-match T20I series lead 2-1 following a 14-run victory over the West Indies at Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday, October 11. The Men in Blue bounced back from their defeat in the second T20I in Ranchi, where they lost by six wickets.
After being bundled out for 223, Indian bowlers managed to restrict the West Indies to 209/7 in 20 overs, despite Kamil Pooran (42), Shimron Hetmyer (43), Sherfane Rutherford (32), and Shamar Springer (35)’s furious late fightbacks, securing a crucial win to regain momentum in the five-match series.
The left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh was the star bowler for the hosts, picking three crucial wickets of Shai Hope, Sherfane Rutherford, and Keemo Paul, and registered the figures of 3/44 at an economy rate of 11.00 in his spell of four overs. Naman Dhir picked up two wickets while conceding 39 runs at an economy rate of 13.00 in 3 overs.
Related Articles
Also Read: Iyer praises bowlers, Prince Yadav's cameo in India's win vs WI
Holkar Stadium Turns Into Battleground in Stands
As the Men in Blue secured a crucial victory to take a 2-1 series lead, the Holkar Stadium witnessed another disturbing incident off the pitch as a violent spectator clash overshadowed the high-octane action on the field.
In a video that went viral on social media, two men were allegedly involved in a physical altercation in the stands, with one spectator wearing an Indian cricket team jersey and holding the national tricolour, seen attacking another man. The two men were seen fighting among the stadium seats before slipping and falling onto another row of seats.
Other spectators attempted to intervene and separate the two men, stepping into the middle of the scuffle to pull them apart before the situation escalated further. However, the exact reason behind the brawl remains unclear, and no official statement regarding the incident has been issued so far.
A similar brawl occurred during the second T20I between India and West Indies at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi, where a fight broke out among spectators and security personnel intervened to bring the situation under control.
The reason for the altercation and details about those involved remain unclear, as this is commonduring high-stakes games where crowd congestion and rising tensions occasionally boil over into unsavoury confrontations.
When is India vs West Indies Next T20I Match?
The ongoing T20I series between India and West Indies has been thrilling so far, with both sides fighting hard to gain the upper hand. After winning the opening match by eight wickets, Men in Blue suffered a shock defeat in their second outing, as the Caribbean side chased down a record 250-run target with nine balls to spare.
Knowing that a defeat cannot be afforded in the third T20I in Indore, the Shreyas Iyer-led side put up a spirited fightback to narrow the deficit, only for India's bowling attack to hold firm in the final overs and seal a thrilling victory. With a 2-1 series lead, Team India is currently ahead.
The two sides will lock horns in the fourth T20I at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on October 14, Wednesday, as both sides aim to secure a decisive series win or level the score in what promises to be another high-stakes encounter.
The Men in Blue will look to take an unassailable 3-1 series lead, while the Caribbean side will be fighting to level the series and force a deciding fifth T20I at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, October 17.
Also Read: Arshdeep, Naman Dhir star as India clinch thrilling win over Windies
