Windies captain elated: 'Victory for the people'

WEST Indies T20 captain Rovman Powell dedicated Sunday's 3-2 T20 International series win over India to the fans, lifting spirits after many lows in West Indies cricket over the past year.

The regional team embarrassingly failed to qualify for the 2023 ICC World Cup 50-over tournament for the first time, and also did not advance to the main draw of the 2022 T20 World Cup.

But fans were left jubilant on Sunday as blazing knocks from opener Brandon King (85 not out) and Nicholas Pooran (47) helped West Indies clinch the five-match series, at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida.

Earlier, the hosts, led by the impressive Romario Shepherd, put in a strong bowling performance to restrict India to 165 or nine. The batsmen then put India to the sword to prevail comfortably by eight wickets, with two overs to spare.

It was all to play for in the fifth T20 as the series was squared 2-2 heading into Sunday's clash.

The T20 series gave the hosts the last laugh after India won the two-match Test series 1-0 and the three-match One Day International series 2-1.

India's tour of the Caribbean and the US ended with Sunday's match.

Powell said, "It is difficult to put words to it. Adjectives are inadequate in describing how we feel. The guys are elated, it is a big series. You mentioned all the stuff that is going on in West Indies cricket so it is a very big series for us to beat India at home.

"Last night after we got defeated badly by the Indians we sat down and had a meeting as a team. We not just playing for ourselves; we are not just playing to put smiles on our faces as players, but we are playing for the people of the Caribbean and they are longing for something nice."

In the fourth T20 on Saturday, India openers Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal put on 165 for the first wicket to help set up a comfortable nine-wicket victory. However, both Gill and Jaiswal fell cheaply on Sunday.

Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein removed both openers as Jaiswal was out caught and bowled for five and Gill was given out leg-before for nine.

Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma then put on 49 runs for the third wicket as the two in-form batsmen led India back into the contest.

Varma was then dismissed for 27 off 18 balls as he was well caught by off spinner Roston Chase who held on to a diving catch off his own bowling.

Sanju Samson could only score 13 before being sent back to the pavilion by Shepherd as India slumped to 87/4 in the 11th over.

Captain Hardik Pandya and Yadav responded with a 43-run fifth-wicket partnership dominated by the latter. When India seemed poised to post a healthy total, West Indies prevented the flow of runs by grabbing wickets regularly, led by Shepherd. Yadav tried his best with 61 off 45 balls with four fours and three sixes.

Shepherd ended with career-best 4/31 in four overs, Hosein took 2/24 in four overs and Jason Holder picked up 2/36 in four overs.

In reply, West Indies lost Kyle Mayers cheaply for ten to leave West Indies 12/1 in the second over.

Pooran and King then came together to put on 107 runs for the second wicket. The West Indies innings, like India, was interrupted by bad weather which included lightning.

Pooran and King found the boundary regularly putting West Indies in a commanding position. Pooran, who was dropped early in his innings, was caught by Pandya for 47 attempting a reverse sweep to give newcomer Varma the wicket. Pooran's 35-ball knock (four and four sixes) ensured he ended the series as the top scorer (176 runs).

King, who found an able partner in Shai Hope, continued to find the fence ending with a career-best unbeaten 85 off 55 balls (five fours, six sixes) to steer West Indies to 171/2 in 18 overs.

Hope, who struck a six to wrap up the victory, ended on 22 not out off 13 balls.

SCOREBOARD

Windies vs India

India Inns

Yashasvi Jaiswal c & b Hosein*5

Shubman Gill lbw b Hosein*9

Suryakumar Yadav lbw b Holder*61

Tilak Varma c & b Chase*27

Sanju Samson c wkp Pooran b Shepherd*13

Hardik Pandya c Holder b Shepherd*14

Axar Patel c Shepherd b Holder*13

Arshdeep Singh b Shepherd*8

Kuldeep Yadav lbw b Shepherd*0

Yuzvendra Chahal not out*0

Mukesh Kumar not out*4

Extras (b4, w7)*11

TOTAL: (9 wkts, 20 overs)*165

Fall of wickets: 6, 17, 66, 87, 130, 140, 149, 149, 161

Bowling: Hosein 4-0-24-2, Mayers 1-0-4-0, Holder 4-0-36-2 (w3), Joseph 3-0-41-0 (w1), Chase 4-0-25-1 (w1), Shepherd 4-0-31-4 (w2)

Windies Inns

B King not out* 85

K Mayers c Jaiswal b A Singh*10

N Pooran c Pandya b T Varma*47

S Hope not out* 22

Extras (lb4, w3)*7

TOTAL: (2 wkts, 18 overs)*171

Did not bat: R Powell, S Hetmyer, R Chase, R Shepherd, J Holder, A Hosein, A Joseph

Fall of wickets: 12, 119.

Bowling: Hardik Pandya 3-0-32-0, Arshdeep Singh 2-0-20-1, Kuldeep Yadav 4-0-18-0 (w2), Yuzvendra Chahal 4-0-51-0, Mukesh Kumar 1-0-10-0 (w1), Tilak Varma 2-0-17-0, Axar Patel 1-0-8-0, Yashasvi Jaiswal 1-0-11-0.

Result: West Indies won by eight wickets.

Series: West Indies won five-match series 3-2.

Man-of-the-Match: Romario Shepherd.

Man-of-the-Series: Nicholas Pooran.