India edged past the West Indies by 14 runs in the high-scoring third T20I of the five match series in Indore. After being asked to bat first, India suffered an early setback when Shamar Joseph dismissed Sanju Samson. However, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan responded with a blazing partnership, adding 108 runs for the second wicket off just 40 balls.

When Roston Chase dismissed Ishan Kishan in the ninth over, India were cruising at 115/2. However, the Indian innings lost momentum after the flying start. India slipped from 115/1 in 8.1 overs to 135/5 and failed to produce the late acceleration they had hoped for. The Indian batters continued to score at a decent rate but failed to convert their starts into big innings. Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Axar Patel played brief cameos to help India reach the 200-run mark. Arshdeep Singh and Prince Yadav also entertained the crowd with some impressive shots towards the end. Roston Chase (2/38 in four overs) was the most successful bowler for the West Indies, while Shamar Springer and Shamar Joseph also picked up two wickets each. In reply, Arshdeep Singh dismissed Shai Hope in the second over. However, Kamil Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer counterattacked, adding a blazing 60-run partnership for the second wicket before Naman Dhir dismissed Hetmyer in the seventh over. Hetmyer scored 43 runs off 26 balls. When Naman Dhir dismissed Kamil Pooran in the 11th over, the match was evenly balanced. Sherfane Rutherford, Quentin Sampson and Shamar Springer played quick cameos but failed to take their team across the finish line. Arshdeep Singh (3/44 in four overs) was India's most successful bowler, while Naman Dhir also claimed two wickets. With this win, India now lead the series 2-1.

Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan Set Up Another High-Scoring Innings

West Indies had relied on Roston Chase's bowling performance in the previous match, and Chase was once again expected to make an impact. Abhishek, however, began cautiously before shifting gears. Sanju Samson, who was expected to provide an aggressive start, was caught at midwicket in the second over. His early dismissal allowed Chase to bowl to two left-handed batters during the opening overs. Abhishek initially assessed the conditions but quickly took control of the contest. In Chase's second over, he created room for himself and struck two sixes and a four. Ishan Kishan soon joined the attack, targeting Keemo Paul as India raced to 87/1 during the powerplay. Abhishek scored 50 of his 69 runs through shots on the off side, a tally he has surpassed only once in an international innings. His outstanding performance also made him the fastest player to reach 2,000 runs in T20 internationals.

Roston Chase Triggers India's Middle-Order Collapse

After allowing India to dominate the opening overs, Chase struck back by dismissing Kishan for 37 off just 18 deliveries. The wicket came through a stumping and gave West Indies a much-needed breakthrough. Kishan's dismissal also highlighted the difference between the Indore surface and the batting-friendly pitch in Ranchi. India's middle order struggled to maintain the scoring rate established by Abhishek and Kishan, and wickets began to fall at regular intervals. The hosts had started brilliantly, but the conditions made it increasingly difficult for the incoming batters to continue attacking with the same freedom.

Run-Outs Prevent India From Finishing Strongly

Tilak Varma looked in excellent touch and appeared capable of helping India reach an even bigger total. However, a series of unfortunate dismissals disrupted the hosts' progress. Nitish Kumar Reddy edged a delivery down the leg side and was dismissed. Varma was subsequently run out after mistakenly believing a boundary had been scored before returning to the crease. Axar Patel also lost his wicket after accepting a single from Arshdeep Singh despite the run being unavailable. These dismissals prevented India from producing the powerful finish they needed. With relatively short boundaries and the recent trend of successful chases in mind, West Indies went into the innings break believing they could still reach the target.

Arshdeep Singh Strikes Early With the New Ball

West Indies began their chase with the challenge of scoring freely on a pitch where timing the ball was difficult. Mayank Yadav generated some movement off the surface during the opening over, while Arshdeep adopted a disciplined approach rather than immediately attempting aggressive variations. Arshdeep went around the wicket to Hope and delivered two accurate yorkers before dismissing the West Indies captain with a length ball. The early breakthrough gave India control and forced the visitors to rebuild their innings.

Indian Spinners Tighten Their Grip on the Chase

Shimron Hetmyer, who had been dropped on five off Mayank's bowling, briefly shifted the momentum in West Indies' favour. He smashed 19 runs from Arshdeep's second over, giving the visitors some hope of recovering from their slow start. However, Mayank and Prince Yadav kept the pressure on during the remainder of the powerplay. West Indies finished the first six overs at 54/1, leaving them with considerable work to do. Kamil Pooran struggled to score quickly, forcing Hetmyer to take greater risks. Naman Dhir capitalised by dismissing Hetmyer in the seventh over, continuing a pattern that had become a feature of his bowling performances in the series. Axar and Dhir then combined to restrict the scoring for two overs. Their disciplined bowling resulted in another important breakthrough when Rovman Powell was dismissed, leaving West Indies at 82/3 after 10 overs. Pooran attempted to revive the chase during Dhir's third over, hitting three sixes in an effort to improve his scoring rate. However, his next attacking attempt ended with a catch near the boundary. The dismissal gave Dhir his fifth international wicket, with every one of those wickets coming on the delivery immediately after a batter had hit him for a six.

India's Fast Bowlers Maintain Discipline Under Pressure

Despite the effectiveness of the spinners and the dry conditions, Shreyas Iyer turned to pace when Quentin Sampson came to the crease. India's preparation appeared to pay off, as Sampson had shown greater difficulty handling high pace than spin. Sherfane Rutherford and Sampson managed to keep West Indies' hopes alive for the next four and a half overs, but they struggled to bring the required rate under control. India continued using their leading fast bowlers in search of another breakthrough, a decision that eventually paid off when Nitish Kumar Reddy dismissed a batter. Reddy completed his spell with figures of 1/19 from two overs, providing another valuable contribution to India's defence. West Indies needed 65 runs from the final four overs, placing enormous responsibility on Rutherford to produce a remarkable finish. However, Arshdeep and Prince continued to execute their yorkers effectively, leaving the powerful left-hander with too much to accomplish in the closing stages. India's captain continued to trust his best bowlers during the decisive overs, ensuring that Axar Patel entered the final over with just 36 runs to defend. India's disciplined bowling and regular wickets ultimately secured a successful defence of 223, ending their run of unsuccessful attempts to protect a total on the tour.

Brief Scorecard