Sherfane Rutherford smashes 84 off 37 balls as visitors chase down 250-run target with nine balls to spare; Sanju Samson’s 82 and explosive late assault from Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma go in vain
West Indies produced a remarkable batting performance to defeat India by six wickets in the second T20 International at Ranchi on Friday, completing a record successful T20I run chase for the Caribbean side and levelling the five-match series 1-1.
Chasing a daunting target of 250, West Indies reached 252 for four in just 18.3 overs, powered by an unbeaten 102 off 45 balls from captain Shai Hope and a devastating 84 off 37 deliveries by Sherfane Rutherford. Their fourth-wicket partnership of 120 runs transformed a contest that had initially appeared to be firmly in India’s control.
India had earlier piled up 249 for five in 20 overs, their highest-ever T20I total against West Indies. However, even a score approaching 250 proved insufficient as the visitors combined calculated aggression with extraordinary power-hitting to register a memorable victory.
Hope Leads the Charge with a Match-Winning Hundred
Hope delivered a captain’s innings of the highest quality, mixing precise stroke play with powerful hitting to keep the required run rate within reach. His unbeaten 102 featured six boundaries and nine sixes, allowing West Indies to recover from an alarming start and eventually dominate the chase.
India struck early through Mayank Yadav, who reduced the visitors to two early wickets and briefly placed the home side in a commanding position. With West Indies under pressure, Hope held his nerve and rebuilt the innings before accelerating decisively.
Rutherford provided the perfect attacking partner. His 84 from 37 balls included seven fours and seven sixes, putting India’s bowlers under sustained pressure. The pair’s partnership shifted the momentum decisively, with West Indies turning a difficult chase into a display of aggressive, controlled batting.
Although Kuldeep Yadav eventually dismissed Rutherford, the damage had largely been done. Hope continued his assault alongside Romario Shepherd, whose rapid 34 off 13 balls helped the visitors finish the chase with nine balls remaining.
Samson Rediscovers His Touch with Explosive 82
Earlier, Sanju Samson gave India the ideal platform with an aggressive 82 off 41 deliveries. His innings featured nine fours and four sixes, and he reached his half-century in just 21 balls.
Under pressure to deliver after a sequence of modest scores, Samson responded with a confident display of attacking cricket. His partnership with Ishan Kishan yielded 97 runs, giving India the momentum to build a formidable total.
Kishan contributed 43 off 22 balls, striking six fours and two sixes before falling to Roston Chase. The pair ensured India maintained a brisk scoring rate during the early overs and put the West Indies bowling attack on the defensive.
Chase nevertheless proved important with the ball, claiming three wickets for 24 runs in his four overs to prevent India’s total from climbing even higher.
Iyer and Tilak Provide a Blistering Finish
After the middle order experienced a brief slowdown, Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma launched a powerful counterattack in the closing stages.
Iyer struck 40 from just 18 balls, while Tilak remained unbeaten on 44 off 18 deliveries. Their 83-run partnership from only 33 balls lifted India to 249 for five, leaving the visitors with a challenging target requiring a sustained assault.
India’s total surpassed its previous best T20I score against West Indies of 244 for four. The innings featured aggressive stroke play throughout, with the batters capitalising on favourable batting conditions to maintain pressure on the opposition.
Yet the same conditions that had helped India accumulate runs also enabled the West Indies batters to mount their extraordinary response.
West Indies Level the Series in Style
The victory was more than a successful chase: it demonstrated the visitors’ ability to recover from early setbacks and execute a demanding run chase against a high-quality Indian attack.
The 250-run target was the highest successfully chased by West Indies in men’s T20 internationals and the second-highest successful chase in men’s T20I history, behind South Africa’s pursuit of 259 against West Indies in 2023.
For India, the defeat will raise questions about its bowling execution and ability to defend enormous totals. Mayank Yadav provided early breakthroughs, but the attack struggled to contain Hope and Rutherford once the partnership gathered momentum.
The result leaves the five-match series level at 1-1, setting up an important third T20I in Indore on Sunday.
With Samson back among the runs and India’s batting unit demonstrating its considerable firepower, the hosts will look to address their bowling concerns. West Indies, meanwhile, will take confidence from a chase that combined patience under pressure with fearless attacking cricket.
In Ranchi, 249 runs proved spectacular but not enough. Hope and Rutherford ensured that an extraordinary Indian batting display became the backdrop to an even more remarkable West Indies victory.
