India scored an emphatic seven-wicket win with 13 balls to spare over the West Indies in their third T20I in Providence, Guyana, on Tuesday.
Suryakumar Yadav rediscovered his touch and hit an entertaining 83 in just 44 balls (10 fours, four sixes) as India easily chased the 159 posted by the West Indies in the first innings.
Yadav was ably supported by his Mumbai Indians teammate Tilak Varma, who made his debut in this series. Varma scored 49 not out from 37 balls.
West Indies lead the five-match series 2-1.
The visitors seemed to be in all sorts of trouble when they lost their openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal (1) and Shubman Gill (6), early. But Yadav and Varma put on 87 for the third wicket that brought India close to the target. The task was completed by Varma and captain Hardik Pandya (20 not out).
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Earlier, West Indies won the toss and chose to bat. There was some delay as the 30-yard circle had not been marked.
The hosts got off to a solid start, with top-scorer Brandon King (42 off 42) and Kyle Mayers putting on an opening stand of 55. It was the West Indies’ best start of the series. Thereon they steadily took the score past 100 and then were looking to make a final flourish, with the destructive Nicholas Pooran at the crease.
That is when left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav snatched the momentum from the hosts. Having had to sit out the previous game due to a sore thumb, Yadav made the most of this opportunity, getting Pooran (20 off 12) and King in the 15th over. He finished with figures of 3 for 28, Johnson Charles being his other victim.
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Captain and man in form Rovman Powell slammed a 19-ball 40 not out that took the West Indies to a competitive 159 for five.
