West Indies vs India — Match Centre

Arshdeep Singh stretches his left arm and the on-air comms feel that it would be better if he walks of.

Shamar Joseph to Arshdeep Singh, no run, Arshdeep Singh is down. He is hit on the arm. Good pacy short delivery and it thuds into the left bicep of Arshdeep Singh as he backs away to pull this outside the leg-stump. The physio is out there. A break in play. Shai Hope and Keemo are all smiles meanwhile with a chat

Shamar Joseph to Arshdeep Singh, no run, slower-ball off-cutter and dug in short into the pitch, Arshdeep Singh comes down the track and throws the bat on that, pulls and misses

Shamar Joseph to Arshdeep Singh, , Shamar Joseph is really struggling. It's a slower-ball and wide of the tramline on the off-side, Arshdeep Singh backs away well outside the leg-stump, leaves it

FOUR! Shamar Joseph to Arshdeep Singh, , length delivery and following Arshdeep Singh outside the leg-stump, he throws the bat on that and it flies off a thick outside-edge over short third man

8 off the last over and 3 wickets. Keemo Paul with a fifer. . Won't matter much. 35 needed off the last over.

Keemo Paul to Mayank Yadav, no run, short of length outside off, Mayank Yadav slashes and misses

OUT! Keemo Paul to Axar Patel, Caught by Sherfane Rutherford!! Full on middle, Axar Patel flicks and it's down the throat of deep mid-wicket. Rutherford won't drop that. All the West Indians get together and are smiling. They know the game is done. What an over this is - 3 wickets and one which has pushed West Indies to the doorstep of victory.

Romario Shepherd to Nitish Reddy,

Romario Shepherd to Tilak Varma, 1 run, length and wide outside off, Tilak Varma gets forward to flay but straight to the fielder at deep cover

Romario Shepherd to Tilak Varma, no run, Tilak Varma knows he has missed out there. He shuffles across his stumps, misses the pull to a slower-ball dug in short. Not a wide and the right call by Nitin Menon. Shai Hope appeals in hope for a caught behind but there was nothing in that. Also Romario Shepherd came over the wicket to this one. Sitanshu Kotak makes a point to Gautam Gambhir

SIX! Romario Shepherd to Tilak Varma, , a gift. Absolute gift. A low full-toss outside off, Tilak Varma stays back and belts it flat over long-on. Mid-on was inside and the crowd have sprung back to life all of a sudden. Humongous roar inside the RGIS. Shai Hope goes to Romario Shepherd to have a word

This looks harder and whiter.

Shamar Joseph to Nitish Reddy, , look at the reaction of the crowd. They love the local boy doing it. Both speak the same language even though Nitish Kumar Reddy is not a local. It's a length delivery on off, he stays back and shows great power and muscle to launch the loft over wide long-on. A flat hit and that's 21 off the over. The over India needed. He really got under that and he has great strength as well

SIX! Shamar Joseph to Nitish Reddy, , he has pace but is erratic as well. This flies into the top-tier at deep backward square-leg. A low full-toss outside the leg-stump, Nitish Kumar Reddy sinks low and helps the flick. The pace helps him and it flies into the crowd

Shamar Joseph to Nitish Reddy, leg byes, 2 runs, everything happening out there. 147.3kph rapid short delivery as Shamar Joseph lets it rip. It thuds into the helmet of Nitish Kumar Reddy as he pulls and misses. It flies to backward point where Springer can't catch the ball. Also the throw is not backed up and they go back for the 2nd. Motie hits direct from long-on but Nitish is in. The concussion test follows. A break in play. Powell has a word with Shamar. That really was a brutal short ball and good to see Nitish fine as it really thudded into the helmet. Such was the force after hitting, the ball went to backward point on the full

Shamar Joseph to Nitish Reddy, , Shamar Joseph not happy with that call. It was speared into the boot of Nitish Kumar Reddy outside the leg-stump. and no wonder Shamar is not happy. As is Daren Sammy. He is waving his hands in disappointment from the dugout. Nitish did well to avoid that delivery but

Shamar Springer to Nitish Reddy, 1 run, another fullish delivery around off and Nitish Kumar Reddy ends up hitting it along the carpet to the fielder at mid-off, only for a single on this occasion

SIX! Shamar Springer to Nitish Reddy, , India need a lot of this! A proper half-volley outside off and Nitish Kumar Reddy smokes it over long-off for a six. Managed to get under it and it sails all the way

Shamar Springer to Tilak Varma, 1 run, cutter banged into the surface at 105.2 kph, Tilak Varma can only flat bat it along the ground to long off for a single

Shamar Springer to Tilak Varma, , doesn't go chasing this time around! This is way outside the tramline on the off side and Tilak Varma leaves it alone

Shamar Springer to Nitish Reddy, 1 run, Nitish Kumar Reddy can't get under it! Tailing into the off stump, it's very full and Nitish Kumar Reddy heaves it to deep mid-wicket off the inner half

Shamar Springer to Tilak Varma, 1 run, nicely stopped by the WI captain behind the stumps! Shamar Springer goes for the wide yorker as Tilak Varma reaches out and gets an under edge that was going to the left of the keeper, who does well to get a hand to it

Shamar Springer to Nitish Reddy, 1 run, starts the over with a superp yorker on the middle, Nitish Kumar Reddy can only jam it to long-on for a single

India need 92 runs off 36 balls, and that’s going to be an extremely tough ask from here! The required rate is climbing rapidly, and India will need a serious acceleration to pull off this chase.

Gudakesh Motie to Nitish Reddy, 1 run, drifting into the stumps, very full at 97.5kph and Nitish Kumar Reddy drills it to long-on along the carpet

Keemo Paul to Tilak Varma, , that's a wayward delivery - way outside the tramline on the off side and Tilak Varma doesn't bother going after it

Gudakesh Motie to Tilak Varma, 1 run, tosses up close to off at 91.1kph, Tilak Varma whips it to deep mid-wicket and retains the strike

Gudakesh Motie to Nitish Reddy, 1 run, not a hat-trick! Flatter on the stumps and Nitish Kumar Reddy punches it to long-on to get off the mark with a single

OUT! Gudakesh Motie to Naman Dhir, Stumped!! Naman Dhir will have to depart for a golden duck! It drops in front of Naman Dhir before gripping and turning sharply as the right-hander reaches out and is beaten by the turn. He loses his balance, his back foot comes out of the crease, and Hope is quick to whip off the bails. The replays confirm his foot is in the air and the third umpire gives it out after checking from multiple angles. West Indies are all over India at the moment.

Gudakesh Motie to Naman Dhir, Stumped!!

OUT! Gudakesh Motie to Abhishek Sharma, Caught by Shamar Springer!! A full delivery angled across outside off, and Abhishek looks to go big but fails to get the desired elevation, picking out the fielder at wide long-off. The left-hander is visibly frustrated with himself as he walks back, but Roston Chase has a few words for him and points towards the pavilion. Abhishek responds, but the exchange changes little as West Indies continue to hold the upper hand in this contest. Not a great outing for Abhishek Sharma at his IPL home ground!

Gudakesh Motie to Abhishek Sharma, Caught!!

Romario Shepherd to Abhishek Sharma, 1 run

Romario Shepherd to Abhishek Sharma, no run, nah, that's not a wide! Abhishek Sharma shuffles across quite a bit and Romario Shepherd keeps it just outside the leg stump, but it's inside the red line and wide is not given

Time for a At the same stage, West Indies were 118/2. And their previous two overs - the 9th and 10th produced just 9 runs. India are 115/3 after 10 overs. Their last 2 overs producing 20. One must say at this stage it's advantage West Indies as Abhishek Sharma doesn't look in the greatest of touches tonight. But still lots of batting left and this will again go down to the wire one thinks.

Roston Chase to Abhishek Sharma, 1 run, flat good length on leg-stump, Abhishek Sharma knows drinks is next, so calmly goes on the back foot and knocks it to long-on

Roston Chase to Tilak Varma, 1 run, again hold and grip for Roston Chase. Tilak Varma too did well, adjusted as he went on the back foot, punches it wide of cover-point for a quick single

Roston Chase to Tilak Varma, no run, back over the wicket. It's full and outside the leg-stump, Tilak Varma flicks and misses

FOUR! Roston Chase to Tilak Varma, , beautiful cricket shot. Roston Chase from round the wicket, on a good length on leg-stump, Tilak Varma goes on the back foot and punches it wide of the two men at extra-cover. Long chase for Motie at long-off, he runs but the ball wins to his right

Roston Chase to Abhishek Sharma, 1 run, again slower and wider outside off, on a length, Abhishek Sharma gets to the ball and cuts to sweeper cover

Roston Chase to Abhishek Sharma, no run, Abhishek Sharma nearly runs past that. It's cleverly darted well wide outside off, on a length and Abhishek did well to adjust as he came down the track, to bunt it to extra-cover

FOUR! Keemo Paul to Shreyas Iyer,

Keemo Paul to Abhishek Sharma, 1 run, Full outside off, Abhishek Sharma gets forward to loft and he picks out Powell

FOUR! Keemo Paul to Abhishek Sharma, , easy for Abhishek Sharma. He shuffles across and gets inside the line, this length delivery is outside the leg-stump, flicked away well wide of short fine-leg

Keemo Paul to Shreyas Iyer, 1 run, Shreyas Iyer now making the mistake of launching this with power. Full outside off, he gets forward to drive hard and the thick inside-edge goes back on to his right leg and rolls to the right of Shai Hope

Keemo Paul to Shreyas Iyer, no run, Shreyas Iyer looks at Nitin Menon who is at square-leg. It's called as one short delivery for the over. Dug in short outside off, Shreyas ducks

Roston Chase to Shreyas Iyer, 1 run, the call was for two from Shreyas Iyer but Powell is so quick at long-on. He keeps it to one. Shreyas suggesting he wanted to come down the track, but nudges the length delivery on off-stump wide of Powell who sprints in

Roston Chase to Abhishek Sharma, 1 run, into the pitch on a back of a length on leg-stump, Abhishek Sharma goes on the back foot and pulls to deep mid-wicket. On the bounce to the man

Roston Chase to Shreyas Iyer, 1 run, Shreyas Iyer shimmies around in his crease, flat good length off-break on middle and leg, he flicks to deep mid-wicket

Roston Chase to Abhishek Sharma, 1 run, flat good length on middle, Abhishek Sharma stays leg-side and gets forward to drive through cover-point for one

Keemo Paul to Ishan Kishan, , pacy but too high and it's trampolined off the pitch. Ishan Kishan is miles away from the pull, misses and Shai Hope leaps to take it. Called a wide

Keemo Paul to Ishan Kishan, no run, "wait, wait" is the call from Ishan Kishan as he gets forward and defends a tight good length delivery on middle-stump to cover

OUT! Keemo Paul to Sanju Samson, Caught by Shimron Hetmyer!! Keemo Paul strikes first-ball and silences the RGIS. Sanju Samson puts his head down and walks off. This line he has got out previously in this format. Tries to pull and on bigger grounds, deep backward square-leg and deep square-leg are in play. Here it's the former and Samson hasn't got the elevation to clear Hetmyer who takes it. Knows his left leg is close to the cushions and he is going over, so calmly lobs the ball back up, goes out and comes back in to complete the catch. Paul has his hands up in truimph. The short of length into the body worked there for him. End of a fantastic innings.

Keemo Paul to Sanju Samson, Caught!!

Romario Shepherd to Sanju Samson, 1 run, full and wide outside off, Sanju Samson is made to reach out to drive, the thick inside-edge goes to the vacant mid-wicket area. Samson lost his bottom-hand there

FOUR! Romario Shepherd to Sanju Samson, , more runs. It's full and targetting the pads, Sanju Samson is standing outside the leg-stump here, he flicks to the deep backward square-leg fence. Well wide of short fine. West Indies are bleeding here

Samson's joint-fastest T20I fifty, alongside his 20-ball effort against Afghanistan in Delhi last month.

Romario Shepherd to Sanju Samson, , who raises his bat to a thunderous applause. Abhishek Sharma comes and punches gloves. It's a back of a length delivery around off and Samson gets forward and forces it wide of the packed off-side field. Wide of cover-point and extra-cover

FOUR! Roston Chase to Sanju Samson,

Roston Chase to Sanju Samson, , 110kph. Fired full and down leg, Sanju Samson lets it go and it deflects off Shai Hope's gloves to short fine. Wide called

Shamar Joseph to Sanju Samson, 1 run, he wanted a piece of this too. But it's a hard back of a length delivery on off, Sanju Samson goes on the back foot and flicks to deep square-leg and calmly retains the strike with that run. The backlift suggested that Samson was aiming to go big but then adjusted late

SIX! Shamar Joseph to Sanju Samson, , Sanju Samson looks pumped. Why do I say that. Because he has a steely expression on his face. A half-volley on the stumps, he backs away slightly and crunches it flat over long-off. Got under that so well. The ball flies and that's the . Consecutive hits over the fence and India are up and running

SIX! Shamar Joseph to Sanju Samson, , what a shot this is. Pacy length delivery on middle and leg, Sanju Samson just gets forward and flicks. Such timing as it flies all the way over deep mid-wicket, into the crowd. He saw that early and just relied on timing it

FOUR! Shamar Joseph to Sanju Samson, , the free-hit is a pacy delivery and Sanju Samson is in no position to pull. He goes on the back foot to do so, a thin top-edge on to the left collarbone and luckily for Samson it flies wide of Shai Hope and short third man. Runs away. He didn't know much about that one

Shamar Joseph to Sanju Samson, , this is poor from Shamar Joseph. He has overstepped and released all the pressure. It's a tight short of length delivery on middle-stump, Sanju Samson opens the face of the bat and glides it straight to the fielder at short third man. Now a free-hit coming up for Samson

Immediately Abhishek Sharma goes to Sanju Samson to have a word.

Shamar Joseph to Sanju Samson, no run, Length delivery and nips back in a tad, Sanju Samson is standing on leg-stump, or even outside it, tries to pull and it doesn't bounce that much. Past the inside-edge

Shamar Joseph to Sanju Samson, no run, good start this by Shamar Joseph. It's a rising short of length delivery into the ribs of Sanju Samson who goes on the back foot and awkwardly turns it to mid-wicket. Hit high on the bat and no run there

My esteemed colleague, sitting close-by informs me that . Is that a good omen for West Indies? We will see.

[On West Indies' total of over 200 and whether it was a good score] I think the score is actually a pretty damn good score to be honest. I'm really happy we crossed 200 and just a little bit of disappointment that we didn't get to 250 but I'm guessing that like I said, it's actually a really good score and the wicket is actually a really good one as well. [On the newly laid surface and whether it favoured batters more than a typical Hyderabad pitch] I think it's a little bit better to be honest. I think the slow balls that normally would grip, they didn't. I'm not sure what's going to happen in the second innings. Hopefully they start gripping. But in the first innings there wasn't really much grip with the slow balls. It was more so like when the ball was paced on, it actually just came through nicely. [On his innings of 33 off 12 balls and setting up the West Indies total] It was okay, I wanted to get much more than I did, but I'm really happy that I could contribute to the team and put us in a decent enough position for the guys at the end to come in and just do their thing. [On whether reverse swing could be a factor during the second innings] I hope so. But from the looks of it, it seems that way. The wicket looks a tad bit drier as well than I think we're more accustomed to here. But let's see how it goes.

\n3 - Shai Hope\n2 - Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis\n1 - Johnson Charles, Rovman Powell\n\nB1$\n\nB2$\n2 - Phil Salt (ENG) vs WI, (Away, 2023)\n2 - Sanju Samson (IND) vs SA (Away, 2024)\n2 - Tilak Varma (IND) vs SA (Away, 2024)\n2 - Mohammad Ihsan (Spain) vs Croatia (Home, 2025)\n2 - Shai Hope (WI) vs IND (Away, 2026)

The first question on everyone's minds right now would be if 247 is enough. This is a run-gluttony ground I must say. Have West Indies got enough? Or are they 15-20 short? Or how many short? We will only know come the end of the game. Once again Shai Hope at the forefront of it all. He fell to an ugly swipe against Arshdeep in the last game but tonight he was in the zone again. Striking the ball sweetly he stayed till the end to notch up his . . . India would be sick at the sight of him. Andrew who came in today to open did well too and then cameos from Hetmyer, Powell and a fine 26-ball 49 from Rutherford propelled West Indies to 247. But would they come to regret the overs when they just knocked it around - especially against Axar? So far no dew and this chase is set up beautifully. Back for it in 5 minutes...

Nitish Reddy to Shai Hope, , His unreal run with the bat continues. He raises his bat and waves to all corners of the RGIS as he walks off. Sherfane Rutherford goes and hugs him. The West Indies camp are all up and clapping in delight with beaming smiles on their faces. He should've been out here but Tilak has lost it in the lights at long-on and allows the ball to go through his fingers. Should've caught that and immediately Tilak gestures that he didn't pick it in the lights. He went to his left and then maybe the ball dipped on him. Lands flush on the cushion and Won't matter to Hope and West Indies as they celebrate. Forde with a towel on his face and he doesn't care. He is grinning from ear to ear as they welcome back their skipper. What a way to end the innings. 10 needed to get to a hundred off 2 balls. Out comes the fresh bat - maybe a new one - from the bubble-wrap and then Hope smashes consecutive sixes to reach there. What a series he is having. And what a turnaround in his T20 fortunes as well. This is the new Hope who's here to stay and slay in this format. West Indies end with 247

SIX! Nitish Reddy to Shai Hope, , change of bat and change of luck. A juicy low full-toss on middle, Shai Hope gets forward and lofts over long-on. Height and the distance as the fielder watches it sail over. Tilak the man

A change of bat for Shai Hope. He has it well-protected with a cover and a bubble-wrap. The latter takes time to be peeled off. Nitin Menon helps out Hope.

Nitish Reddy to Sherfane Rutherford, 1 run, more good bowling. Very full delivery and angling away from the left-hander outside off, Sherfane Rutherford opens the face of the bat and squeezes it out to backward point. He will get just one

Shai Hope wants a change of bat.

Nitish Reddy to Shai Hope, 1 run

Nitish Reddy to Sherfane Rutherford, 1 run, lovely yorker length delivery on middle, Sherfane Rutherford digs it out to backward point for one. That's a good delivery even as Nitish Kumar Reddy slipped after delivery