West Indies Level T20 Series After Defeating India in Hyderabad

West Indies defeated India by 24 runs in the fourth T20I in Hyderabad after defending a massive target of 248 runs. India were struggling at 130 for 5 in the 12th over when Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy built a strong partnership to bring the target down to 48 runs needed from 19 balls. Romario Shepherd then dismissed Tilak, triggering a collapse that saw India fall short and the visitors level the series at 2-2.

Reaction

India opener Sanju Samson, who scored a 23-ball 56 to give his team a fast start, pointed to Tilak's wicket as the turning point of the match. Samson praised the fight shown by the two young batters against the West Indies bowling attack despite losing early wickets. He also defended teammates Ishan Kishan, who scored 6 runs from 3 balls, and Abhishek Sharma, who made 29 from 24, calling them the world's best top two batters and stating that one off game is acceptable.

What's Next

With the five-match series now tied at 2-2, the decisive fifth and final T20I will take place on Saturday in Bengaluru. Samson noted that the Indian team is charged up and ready to compete for the series win.

Context

Bilateral T20 cricket series often see high-scoring matches and momentum shifts in the middle overs when partnerships take risks against the bowling attack. Teams rely heavily on their depth and lower-order batters to chase large totals when the top order falls early.