West Indies Stun India by 24 Runs, Level T20I Series 2-2

West Indies delivered a statement win in Hyderabad, outlasting India by 24 runs in a high-scoring fourth T20I that has swung the five-match series back to level terms. Shai Hope’s sparkling century set the tone, while Keemo Paul’s devastating five-wicket haul sealed the result as the visitors clawed their way to a 2-2 scoreline.

West Indies set the pace with a massive total

After being put in, West Indies produced one of their strongest batting displays of the tour, posting 247 on the board. Hope was the standout, controlling the innings with timing, patience and clean hitting, and giving the innings the backbone it needed after the early overs.

The total immediately shifted pressure onto India, who had to chase 248 in front of a lively home crowd. But on a surface where boundaries came quickly and mistakes were punished, West Indies knew they had enough if their bowling held nerve in the decisive middle and death overs.

India’s chase starts fast, then slows sharply

India could hardly have asked for a better opening. Sanju Samson came out with intent and raced to 56 off 23 balls, helping the chase fly to 60 without loss in just four overs. For a brief period, the hosts looked fully in command and capable of pulling off another big run chase.

That momentum, however, did not last. West Indies tightened their lines, kept taking wickets at crucial moments and steadily forced the chase into a more difficult shape. The asking rate kept climbing, and the pressure began to change the mood in the stadium.

Tilak Varma keeps India alive

India still had a route back through Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy, who put together a 70-run stand for the sixth wicket in only 32 balls. Their partnership briefly reignited hope and made the contest feel wide open again.

But Tilak’s dismissal turned out to be a major blow. Once he departed, India were left needing 43 from the final 12 deliveries, a scenario that demanded near-perfect execution under pressure. West Indies had found the opening they needed, and they did not let it slip.

Keemo Paul flips the match in a single spell

Paul was the match-winner with the ball. He finished with 5/41 and produced a spell that broke the chase open, taking two wickets in his first over before returning to strike three times in four balls during the penultimate over.

The numbers underlined just how sharp the performance was. Paul’s figures are now the second-best by a bowler against India in men’s T20Is, behind Obed McCoy’s 6/17 in Basseterre in 2022. He also became the first West Indies bowler to claim two five-wicket hauls in men’s T20Is, a notable milestone in the format.

Moments that changed the game

The contest also featured several turning points beyond the scorecard. A controversial stumping involving Naman Dhir led to a lengthy delay before the decision was given, adding to the tension in a match already full of momentum shifts. There was also an injury setback for India as Arshdeep Singh retired hurt after picking up an issue during the game.

Another missed chance came when Mayank Yadav dropped Sherfane Rutherford, a lapse that could have tilted the game even more firmly in West Indies’ favour. In a match decided by fine margins despite the big totals, every such moment carried extra weight.

What the result means for the series

West Indies’ win has completely reset the contest. What had looked like India’s series to control is now heading into a final showdown in Bengaluru with everything still on the line. Both teams have shown they can dominate with bat, but the decider may come down to which side handles pressure better in the key overs.

As one observer might say after a night like this, the scoreline was not just about runs and wickets, but about momentum. West Indies found the bigger moments when it mattered most, and that is why the series is alive again heading into the fifth T20I.