A late blitz from Suryakumar Yadav (65) and Venkatesh Iyer (35*) and a solid bowling performance led by the likes of Harshal Patel (3/22) were crucial to India’s cause, as they defeated West Indies by 17 runs in the third T20 at Eden Gardens. India have won all the six white-ball games in the home series against West Indies, which was Rohit Sharma’s first as full-time white-ball captain of the team.
Suryakumar and Iyer absolutely light up the evening at the Eden with some exquisite shots, putting on a big partnership of 91 off 37 deliveries before the bowlers took charge.
Rohit Sharma announced four changes with Avesh Khan making his debut. Replacing Rishabh Pant, Virat Kohli, Yuzvendra Chahal and Bhuvneshwar Kumar were Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Avesh and Shardul Thakur.
Rohit Sharma announced four changes with Avesh Khan making his debut. Replacing Rishabh Pant, Virat Kohli, Yuzvendra Chahal and Bhuvneshwar Kumar were Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Avesh and Shardul Thakur.
Asked to bat first again, India’s new openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan were keen on starting quickly, as they danced down the track looking to clear the WI fielders in the circle. However, 10 runs into the cause, Gaikwad, who came into the XI for the first time in the series, was dismissed by Jason Holder for 4 in the third over.
Rohit Sharma dropped one more spot down to 4 as Shreyas Iyer joined Kishan, and the duo tried to up the ante. Shreyas, newly appointed as KKR captain, attacked from the get-go as Kishan was having another scratchy day in the middle.
Shreyas smacked four boundaries, scoring 25 off 16 before Hayden Walsh had his number, with the score at 63. Three runs later, Kishan followed suit for 34 off 31 balls as Roston Chase knocked over the stumps, leaving Rohit Sharma and India in a spot of bother at 66/3 in the 10th over.
Suryakumar Yadav joined the skipper, who was in unfamiliar territory at number 4, and wasn’t able to get going. The duo put on 27 runs before Rohit was cleaned up by Dominic Drakes for 7 off 15 deliveries. Suryakumar meanwhile had cleared the ropes a couple of times and looked to be in the mood for a big knock. However, at 98/4 in 15 overs with Venkatesh Iyer joining Suryakumar, India had work to do.
Suryakumar Yadav and Venkatesh Iyer during their partnership.
Image: BCCI
The duo went through gears from the next over, making it worth 17 runs with Iyer scoring the bulk of it off Drakes. Iyer continued in the same fashion in the next over as Shepherd was smashed for 17, once again the left-hander hitting a boundary and six, as Suryakumar finished another 17-run over with a boundary. The visitors on their part were erratic with their lines and lengths too. Holder’s over costed 10 as Iyer swivelled and smashed him into the stands over fine leg, before the 19th bowled by Drake saw Surya smash it over backward point to bring up India’s 150. Iyer and Surya were scoring at two-runs a ball by now with the stand doing some serious damage, scoring 21 runs in the 19th over, the biggest of the innings.
Suryakumar brought up his fifty with a six in the final over and then proceeded to smash two more before an attempted fourth in the over saw the innings end with his wicket. Suryakumar scored 65 off 31 while Iyer added 35 of 19, both together putting on a 91-run stand as India posted 184/5.
In response, West Indies kept losing wickets at regular intervals and never really got going. Kyle Mayers (6) and Shai Hope were the first two to depart, caught behind by Ishan Kishan off Deepak Chahar.
Chahar though went off injured in his second over, unable to complete it due to a muscle injury.
Nicholas Pooran and Rovman Powell came together and threatened to repeat their act from the second game with a 47-run stand at good pace. Powell scored 25 off 14, hitting two fours and as many sixes before Harshal Patel had him caught brilliantly by Shardul Thakur running backwards.
Pooran at the other continued to chip away, not throwing in the towel, and had Kieron Pollard for company. The skipper had a hard time against young Ravi Bishnoi, before being caught by the spinner at deep point of Venkatesh Iyer for 5.
Soon after Iyer, accounted for Jason Holder as well, caught at long on by Shreyas, the other Iyer on the Indian team, as the hosts continued to tighten the grip on the contest.
Shreyas Iyer fielding at Eden Gardens
Image: BCCI
A couple of streaky boundaries then came Roston Chase’s way before Harshal knocked him over with a perfect yorker. Pooran, on whom all of WI’s hopes rested, had the lower order for company now with four wickets in hand. With the chase in the final phase, Pooran brought up his half-century, third in the series, keeping WI in the hunt. He had Romario Shepherd for company, who too wasn’t holding back on the big shots.
Pooran’s resistance though ended on 61 off 47 deliveries, when Shardul Thakur had him caught in the deep off a slower ball, bring India closer to the finish the line.
Shepherd, who was timing his shots well and had got a few lusty blows, was the next to depart, Harshal Patel claimed another wicket. Shepherd was caught 29 by Rohit Sharma at cover. Harshal finished with figures of 3/22 and WI needed 23 off the final over.
Shardul then dismissed Dominic Drakes for 4 with Rohit taking a superb catch at cover. Shardul completed the over without further ado, as India romped home to a 17-run win.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)