Shai Hope’s Century Lifts West Indies Past India

Shai Hope delivered a commanding unbeaten century and turned a high-scoring contest into a statement win for West Indies, who beat India by 24 runs in the fourth T20 International in Hyderabad on Wednesday. The result levelled the five-match series at 2-2 and set up a tense finish to what has become one of the most entertaining bilateral contests in recent memory.

Hope anchors West Indies to a massive total

Asked to bat first, West Indies attacked from the start and never really lost control of the innings. Hope stayed composed while wickets fell around him, finishing with an unbeaten 102 off 50 balls, decorated with four fours and nine sixes.

His timing was especially decisive in the closing overs, where West Indies surged past 200 and then kept pushing. The final score of 247 for 3 gave India a steep chase, but more importantly, it gave West Indies the psychological edge after a top-order blitz and a powerful finish.

Key batting numbers

Hope’s effort was not a lone act. Sherfane Rutherford stayed unbeaten on 49 off 26 balls and shared a vital 91-run stand off just 43 deliveries with the captain, a partnership that effectively broke India’s rhythm at the death. Rovman Powell and Shimron Hetmyer also played useful cameos, ensuring the innings never stalled.

A West Indies team source could easily point to the message from the dressing room: keep batting aggressively, but trust the set batter to carry the innings. That blueprint worked almost perfectly as Hope absorbed pressure and then exploded when the time was right.

India’s chase starts fast, then slips away

India made a strong early response and briefly looked capable of pulling off the chase. Sanju Samson blazed his way to a half-century in only 20 deliveries before falling for 56, giving the hosts the kind of start that usually shifts a chase into overdrive.

Abhishek Sharma added 29 and Shreyas Iyer chipped in with 16, while the middle and lower order kept the scoreboard moving. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Tilak Varma then reignited the chase with a 70-run stand from 32 balls, dragging India back into striking distance.

But just as the game seemed to tilt toward the hosts, Keemo Paul changed everything. The West Indies pacer struck in the 19th over, taking three wickets to trigger a late collapse. Varma fell for 43, Reddy was dismissed soon after, and India’s tail folded quickly under pressure.

What changed in the final overs

India needed composure in the closing stretch, but West Indies found the breakthroughs. The difference was not only the wickets, but also the timing of those wickets, which removed the set batters and left too much for the lower order to do.

West Indies also defended their total with confidence, showing cleaner execution in the final phase. That edge mattered in a match where both teams crossed the 200-run barrier was possible, yet only one side managed to close with authority.

“When a batter stays unbeaten through the pressure overs, it changes the entire shape of the game,” was the sort of insight Hope’s innings demanded.

In the end, the match belonged to West Indies because they were sharper in the moments that mattered most. Hope’s century supplied the platform, Rutherford provided the finish, and Paul delivered the knockout blows with the ball.

Series now perfectly poised

With the series locked at 2-2, the final match suddenly carries real weight. India have shown they can chase aggressively, but West Indies have now proven they can match that firepower and finish with control.

That sets up a compelling decider, with both teams carrying momentum from a thriller that had big partnerships, rapid scoring, and a dramatic late swing. For West Indies, it was a reminder of how dangerous their batting becomes when a senior player like Hope plays deep into the innings.

For India, the lesson is equally clear: even a flying start and strong late acceleration can be undone if the finishing overs turn hostile. Hyderabad produced a contest worthy of the series scoreline, and the finale now promises another high-tempo battle.