West Indies beat India by 24 runs in the fourth T20I of the five match series in Hyderabad. After being invited to bat first, captain Shai Hope led the way with an unbeaten century to help his team post a massive total of 247/3. Sherfane Rutherford remained unbeaten on 49 runs off just 26 balls, while Shimron Hetmyer smashed 33 runs off just 12 balls. Prince Yadav (1/36 in four overs) was India’s best bowler.

During the chase, Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma gave India a flying start, adding 60 runs in just 4.1 overs. Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy also tried their best, but their efforts fell short. Keemo Paul (5/41 in four overs) delivered an outstanding bowling performance to help his team secure a memorable victory. With this win, West Indies levelled the series at 2-2, setting up a series decider at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Shai Hope Gets Strong Support at the Top

For the first time in the series, Hope received valuable support during the opening overs instead of having to shoulder most of the responsibility himself. Jewel Andrew, who replaced Kamil Pooran in the playing XI, attacked Arshdeep Singh in the first over. His aggressive approach prevented the Indian pacer from repeating the success he had enjoyed against Hope in the third T20I. Hope responded by taking the attack to Mayank Yadav, who had bowled a controlled first over against Andrew. Shim ron Hetmyer then added to India's difficulties by scoring 17 runs off just five deliveries. West Indies finished the powerplay at 79 for one, while Arshdeep conceded 36 runs in his first two overs without taking a wicket. The pressure increased further when Hope smashed 19 runs off Naman Dhir's opening over, taking the visitors to 109 for one after eight overs. India eventually managed to slow the scoring rate. Prince Yadav dismissed Hetmyer, while the ball began to show slight reverse movement. Rovman Powell, who had endured three low scores earlier in the series, took some time to settle before finding his rhythm against Axar Patel. Powell struck a four, a six and another four in Axar's final over, giving West Indies some much-needed momentum. However, India's bowlers continued to use wide yorkers effectively during the later stages. West Indies managed only 76 runs in the eight overs before the final two overs, making it difficult for them to accelerate consistently. Sherfane Rutherford took charge against Mayank in the latter's final over, allowing Hope to regain his momentum at the right moment. Hope then smashed sixes off the final two deliveries to move from 90 to 102, completing his century from just 50 balls. West Indies scored 62 runs in the final four overs, despite India not bowling particularly poorly. Hope's unbeaten innings provided the foundation for a challenging total.

Sanju Samson Launches India's Chase

India began their chase aggressively, with Samson taking control almost immediately. Initially, it appeared that he wanted to keep Abhishek Sharma away from Roston Chase. However, his approach soon developed into a spectacular display of power hitting. Abhishek faced only three deliveries during the first three overs, while Samson attacked the West Indies bowlers with remarkable confidence. He struck four sixes and six fours, reaching a half-century before the third over had been completed. Samson's explosive start gave India genuine hope of chasing down the target. His innings also raised the possibility that India could record their highest successful chase across both formats in the series, matching the achievements of the West Indies team. However, the visitors were about to turn the match around with a combination of excellent fielding, clever bowling changes and timely wickets.

Keemo Paul and Shimron Hetmyer Turn the Match Around

A spectacular piece of fielding from Hetmyer gave West Indies the breakthrough they desperately needed. The catch was particularly important after the team had struggled with its fielding during much of the series. Paul bowled a short delivery that cramped Samson for room. Although the Indian batter managed to connect reasonably well with his hook shot, Hetmyer completed an outstanding catch near the boundary. Hetmyer caught the ball, threw it into the air before stepping beyond the boundary cushions, and returned inside the field to complete the catch safely. His effort ended Samson's dangerous innings of 56 off 23 balls. Ishan Kishan briefly raised hopes with a beautifully timed six off a slower delivery. However, he failed to connect properly with the next ball, which was delivered at normal pace, and was caught at deep midwicket. West Indies then used changes of pace and intelligent bowling rotations to put pressure on Abhishek Sharma and Shreyas Iyer. Although the pair managed 30 runs in 3.4 overs, their partnership failed to keep pace with India's requirements. A crucial moment arrived when Hope decided to introduce Motie despite having two aggressive left-handed batters at the crease. India needed 122 runs from the final nine overs at that stage. Abhishek began by hitting Motie's first delivery for four, putting the bowler under immediate pressure. However, the pitch offered enough grip for Motie to force a mistake from the Indian batter, who was caught comfortably at long-off. Motie then produced an excellent delivery to dismiss Naman Dhir, who was stumped for a golden duck. The two wickets in quick succession significantly damaged India's chances of completing the chase.

Romario Shepherd and Keemo Paul Complete the Job

With India reduced to 132 for five, the responsibility shifted to the middle and lower order. The Indian team has repeatedly highlighted its batting depth, and Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy now had to demonstrate their ability to rescue the innings. The pair worked hard to remain in the contest, but Shamar Joseph's expensive 16th over gave India fresh hope. Reddy struck two sixes during the over, which produced 21 runs and reduced the target to 59 from the final four overs. India suddenly appeared to have a realistic chance of pulling off the chase, especially after scoring heavily in the previous over. Romario Shepherd, who returned after missing the previous match because of an injury, began the 17th over by attempting a yorker. Tilak punished the resulting low full toss by hitting it cleanly for six. Shepherd subsequently changed his approach, bowling into the pitch and mixing in a yorker to disrupt the batter's rhythm. The over ended with Tilak skying a delivery, creating a decisive moment in the match. Shamar Springer then bowled an excellent 18th over, making India's task increasingly difficult. Paul returned in the 19th over and claimed three wickets, putting the result beyond doubt. The match ended on an unfortunate note for India when Arshdeep Singh was struck on the bicep. With concerns about further injury, India chose not to expose him to additional damage.