Continuing his stellar form, West Indies skipper Shai Hope smashed his fourth century of the India tour (102* off 50) to power his team to a massive 247/3 in the fourth T20I in Hyderabad, keeping their hopes of levelling the series alive.
West Indies skipper Shai Hope continued the tour of his life, slamming his fourth century of the India tour, helping the Windies post 247/3 in the fourth T20I at Hyderabad on Wednesday. Hope, who had slammed two centuries in the ODIs, a series they lost 2-1, has kept WI's hopes of levelling the series alive with his third T20I ton, the most by a West Indies batter. With his fourth ton and fifth fifty-plus score of the tour, Hope is leading the white-ball team from the front.
Windies Off to a Blazing Start
Put to bat first by India, West Indies openers skipper Shai Hope and Jewel Andrew gave their team a fine start. Jewel collected 17 runs off Arshdeep Singh's first over, hitting him for two fours and a six. The third over by Mayank Yadav leaked 20 runs, with the express pacer conceding four off a wide ball, bowling a no ball and being hit for a six by skipper Hope. This was followed by leg byes for four and another wide, making it an over of extras. In the next over, Hope smacked Prince Yadav for a six and a four, bringing up WI's 50-run mark in 3.3 overs.
Axar Patel, playing his 200th international match, struck right away, removing Jewel for a 16-ball 21, with two fours and a six, trapping him lbw. WI was 52/1 in 4.2 overs.
Arshdeep's final powerplay over released the pressure for WI as Shimron Hetmyer came all guns blazing with two fours and a six. The left-armer also bowled four leg byes and a wide, leaking 19 runs. WI was 79/1 at the powerplay end, with Hope (28*) and Hetmyer (17*) motoring along.
Middle Overs Mayhem
Hetmyer drilled Axar for two fours in the next over while the duo carted Naman Dhir for two sixes and a four in the eighth over, bringing up WI's 100-run mark in 7.4 overs. The duo also reached their 50-run stand in just 20 balls.
Prince produced a breakthrough, catching and removing Hetmyer for a quickfire 12-ball 33, with four boundaries and two sixes. WI was 110/2 in 8.2 overs.
Halfway through, WI was 118/2, with Hope (47*) joined by Rovman Powell (3*).
Including his two ODI tons, Hope reached his fifth fifty-plus score of the tour in 28 balls, with a six off Mayank Yadav down the ground. In the next over, Axar was carted for 22 runs, including two fours and two sixes each, bringing WI's 150-run mark in 12 overs.
Rovman, out of form throughout the series, found his groove with two fours and a six. However, Arshdeep produced a wicket just before the partnership could take off further, with Rovman nicking it to Sanju Samson behind the stumps for 24 in 17 balls. WI was 156/3 in 12.5 overs.
Hope's Century Powers WI to Mammoth Total
At the end of 15 overs, WI was 177/3, with Hope (76*) joined by Sherfane Rutherford (8*) unbeaten, with India stemming the run flow a bit.
The 17th over by Mayank leaked 22 runs, including two sixes and a four by Rutherford and a four by Hope, bringing WI to the 200-run mark in 16.4 overs. Mayank ended a poor day at work with 52 runs conceded in four overs.
Three wides from Arshdeep and a six over sightscreen in the next over added to India's troubles, as the left-armer leaked 11 more runs in the 18th over, ending with figures of 1/52.
WI ended their innings with Shai getting his fourth century of the tour, his second in the T20I leg. WI ended at 247/3, with Hope (102* in 50 balls, with four boundaries and nine sixes) and Sherfane (49* in 26 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes) unbeaten. Prince Yadav (1/36) was the pick of the bowlers for India. (ANI)
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