Skipper Shreyas Iyer said India failed to execute their bowling plans after a 23-run loss to West Indies in the 4th T20I. Shai Hope's ton and Keemo Paul's fifer helped WI level the series 2-2, setting up a decider in Bengaluru.
Following his side's loss to West Indies in the fourth T20I during a massive run-chase, Indian skipper Shreyas Iyer said that the team could not execute their line and length well while the Windies made use of some help from the surface in the middle overs, when the pitch became slower.
Shai Hope's fourth ton of the tour and a five-wicket haul from Keemo Paul handed Windies a 23-run win over India in a successful defence of 248 runs, setting up an exciting decider for fans at Bengaluru with the series poised at 2-2.
While India started off with an aggressive fifty from Sanju Samson, his opening partner Abhishek Sharma barely got the strike for the first few overs. From Sanju's wicket started India's eventual downfall, with other batters unable to maintain the right tempo needed for such a demanding chase.
'We could not execute our plans in bowling'
Speaking about the loss during the post-match proceedings, Iyer said that "it started with the bowling".
"I think we did not execute our line lengths well, and at the end of the day, chasing 250, you have to go in a certain pattern when you are coming and chasing. So I like the approach when we were chasing, but we were unfortunate we could not execute our plans in bowling, and that is where we fell a bit short," he said.
When asked if a lack of strike for Abhishek contributed to India's loss, he said, "Not really, we were still going 12 an over at that point of time. It is just that they (WI) executed their plan. The ball was kicking a bit, and they used the field pretty well. So credit where it is due, and their execution was spot on."
'Pitch became bowler-friendly'
Shreyas also admitted that the pitch became bowler-friendly in the middle overs as the ball started holding up a bit and there was more bounce to it.
"I am sure the fifth (T20I) one would be an interesting one. Well, obviously, getting 220, especially when we were chasing and then scoring 250 (in the second T20I), you can see the approach and attitude of every individual. So, the approach is going to be the same, and I feel going forward we have to have good execution and mindset," he stated.
Match Summary
With this win, the series is level 2-2, with an exciting decider at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru set for October 17. While Hope (102* off 50 balls, with four boundaries and nine sixes) registered his fourth century of the India tour, including his second in the T20I leg, Keemo (5/41) got crucial wickets right from the start. For WI, Shimron Hetmyer (33 in 12 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) and Sherfane Rutherford (49* in 26 balls, with six fours and three sixes) also contributed important knocks with the bat, taking them to 247/3.
After a fifty from Sanju Samson (56 in 22 balls, with six fours and four sixes), India found themselves playing the catch-up game. A 70-run stand between Tilak Varma (43 off 25 balls, with two fours and three sixes) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (41 in 20 balls, with a four and four sixes) gave India hope; India's hopes were dimmed with their dismissals. Arshdeep Singh retired hurt in the middle of the final over after a hit on his arm, leaving India 25 runs short of the target. (ANI)
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