Bengaluru: India’s innings in the rain-hit T20I series decider against the West Indies was cut short at 118/5 in 7.4 overs after the showers returned at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Saturday.
The visitors’ target will be worked out depending on the number of overs they get to bat, with 10.21 pm set as the cut-off time for a five-over chase.
The West Indies will need 84 runs in five overs if the game restarts at the aforementioned time. The fifth and final T20I had already been reduced to nine overs a side due to an earlier delay caused by persistent rain.
The drizzle, which had resumed midway through the innings, grew heavier soon after Shamar Springer cleaned up Tilak Varma in the eighth over, thus forcing the umpires to call for covers to be put on the pitch and square area.
Put into batting first, India were made to work hard early on as Keemo Paul extracted movement with the new ball. The all-rounder, though, lost his radar briefly, overstepping and then conceding five wides down the leg side in the same over.
Abhishek Sharma swung and missed at the free hit, but sent the next ball sailing over deep mid-wicket for six. His stay, however, ended when he flicked the following delivery straight to Shamar Joseph at mid-wicket to depart for six.
Top-ranked T20I batter Ishan Kishan then took charge by plundering 24 runs off Romario Shepherd’s first over, including a breathtaking scoop on one knee over fine leg that cleared the Chinnaswamy roof.
Shamar Joseph had Kishan (30 off just 10 balls) caught at mid-on off a cleverly disguised slower ball, but Sanju Samson kept the momentum going, his boundary bringing up India’s fastest team fifty in T20Is in just 2.5 overs, before he uppercut a wide ball for six.
Springer, however, sent the off-stump of Samson (16) on a cartwheel ride with his very first delivery, while Shreyas Iyer laboured to 22 off 14 balls, surviving a run-out chance and a dropped catch by Sherfane Rutherford before Paul had him caught at deep mid-wicket on a miscue.
Naman Dhir then provided the late fireworks by smashing 16 off his first three balls – via whipping and lofting Paul for sixes, while thumping him over mid-off for four. He remained unbeaten on 24 off six balls. Paul had figures of 2-34, while Springer returned with 2-17, before rain came again to interrupt the proceedings.
Brief scores:
India 118/5 in 7.4 overs (Ishan Kishan 30, Naman Dhir 24 not out; Shamar Springer 2-17, Keemo Paul 2-34) against West Indies
–IANS–
