West Indies captain Shai Hope continued his outstanding form on the India tour by scoring his fourth century, leading the Windies to a total of 247 for 3 in the fourth Twenty20 International at Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Hope, who had previously hit two centuries in the One Day International series that West Indies lost 2-1, remained the leading figure in the T20I leg with his third century-the most by any West Indies batter in T20 Internationals. His fourth century and fifth score of fifty-plus runs this tour underlines his vital role at the forefront of the team’s white-ball performances.
After being asked to bat first by India, Hope and opener Jewel Andrew provided a strong start. Andrew struck 17 runs off Arshdeep Singh’s initial over, hitting two fours and a six.
Mayank Yadav’s third over was expensive, conceding 20 runs including extras in the form of a wide ball and a no ball, as Hope hit a six off him. The over included leg byes and additional wides, making it an over with numerous extras.
Hope continued to dominate, hitting Prince Yadav for a six and a four in the following over, bringing the Windies to 50 runs inside 3.3 overs.
Axar Patel, playing his 200th international match, struck early by dismissing Jewel Andrew, who scored 21 from 16 balls with two fours and a six, trapped lbw. West Indies were 52 for 1 in 4.2 overs.
Arshdeep’s final powerplay over conceded 19 runs, including four leg byes and a wide, as Shimron Hetmyer aggressively struck two fours and a six. West Indies finished the powerplay at 79 for 1, with Hope on 28 not out and Hetmyer 17 not out.
Hetmyer continued to score with two fours off Axar Patel in the next over, while Hope and Hetmyer combined to hit Naman Dhir for two sixes and a four in the eighth over, reaching 100 runs in 7.4 overs. Their partnership reached 50 runs in 20 balls.
Prince Yadav ended the partnership by catching and dismissing Hetmyer for a rapid 33 runs off 12 balls, which included four boundaries and two sixes. West Indies stood at 110 for 2 after 8.2 overs.
At the halfway mark, West Indies were 118 for 2 with Hope unbeaten on 47, joined by Rovman Powell on 3.
Hope reached his fifth fifty-plus score of the tour in 28 balls, hitting a six off Mayank Yadav down the ground. In the subsequent over, Axar Patel was hit for 22 runs, including two fours and two sixes, bringing West Indies to 150 runs in 12 overs. Powell also found form, striking two fours and a six.
However, Arshdeep Singh claimed a wicket soon after, dismissing Powell caught behind by Sanju Samson for 24 from 17 balls. West Indies were 156 for 3 in 12.5 overs.
At the end of 15 overs, West Indies were 177 for 3 with Hope on 76 not out and Sherfane Rutherford on 8 not out, as India began to restrict the run rate slightly.
Mayank Yadav leaked 22 runs in the 17th over, including two sixes and a four from Rutherford and a four from Hope, taking West Indies past the 200-run mark in 16.4 overs. Yadav finished with figures of 0 for 52 in four overs.
Arshdeep Singh’s 18th over included three wides and a six over the sightscreen, adding 11 runs and bringing his figures to 1 for 52.
West Indies completed their innings with Hope scoring an unbeaten 102 off 50 balls, featuring four boundaries and nine sixes, while Sherfane Rutherford remained 49 not out from 26 balls, including four boundaries and three sixes. The team finished on 247 for 3.
Prince Yadav was the most successful Indian bowler, taking 1 for 36.