Abhishek Sharma's 69 powers India to 223 vs West Indies in 3rd T20I
Synopsis
Abhishek Sharma's explosive 14th T20I fifty off 18 balls — and his milestone as the fastest batter to 2,000 T20I runs by balls faced — was undone by a shocking collapse of run-out mix-ups and soft dismissals. India's 223 looks below the 250 they were threatening at the halfway point of their innings.
Key Takeaways
Abhishek Sharma top-scored with 69 off 30 balls (6 fours, 5 sixes) for India in the 3rd T20I at Holkar Stadium, Indore on 11 October 2026 .
Abhishek and Ishan Kishan (37) shared a 108-run second-wicket stand , taking India to 87 for 1 at the power-play.
Abhishek became the fastest batter to 2,000 T20I runs by balls faced, reaching the mark in 1,024 deliveries .
India collapsed from a position of strength, losing wickets through soft dismissals and two costly run-out mix-ups involving Tilak Varma (28) and Axar Patel (20).
Roston Chase took 2 for 38 and Shamar Springer claimed 2 for 50 ; Gudakesh Motie claimed his 50th T20I wicket .
India were eventually bowled out for 223 in 20 overs , a total considered below par given the early platform.
Abhishek Sharma blazed a 30-ball 69 — his innings studded with six fours and five sixes — before a disastrous middle-order collapse restricted India to 223 all out in 20 overs against West Indies in the third T20I at Holkar Stadium, Indore, on 11 October 2026. A commanding 108-run second-wicket stand with Ishan Kishan had threatened a score close to 250, but a string of soft dismissals and run-out mix-ups allowed the visitors to claw back into the contest.
Abhishek And Kishan Set The Platform
India were put in to bat and struggled early, managing just 11 runs in the first two overs. Sanju Samson fell cheaply in the second over, mistiming a flick off a 150.8 kmph delivery from Shamar Joseph to mid-wicket for 3. Abhishek then took charge, ripping into Roston Chase in the third over with an inside-out drive through cover-point before lofting two successive sixes, one over cover and another over point.
The stand between Abhishek and Ishan Kishan accelerated sharply. Shamar Springer's fifth over yielded 21 runs, and Joseph's next over conceded an identical 21, with Abhishek registering his 14th T20I fifty off just 18 balls. India closed the power-play at an impressive 87 for 1. Notably, during the course of his innings Abhishek became the fastest batter to reach 2,000 T20I runs in terms of balls faced, arriving at the landmark in just 1,024 deliveries.
Chase Breaks The Stand, India Wobble
The 108-run partnership ended in the ninth over when Chase trapped a stepping-out Kishan — who scored 37 — with an incoming delivery, and Shai Hope completed the stumping. Chase then removed captain Shreyas Iyer lbw for 1 in the same over, before Abhishek top-edged a pull to Springer, who took the return catch to end a 30-ball 69. Gudakesh Motie picked up his 50th T20I wicket when Naman Dhir holed out to long-off, leaving India in serious trouble.
Run-Out Chaos Derails The Innings
Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy attempted a rebuild, each hitting two fours off Joseph in the 13th over, before Nitish was caught behind off Keemo Paul for 21. The innings then unravelled further through two costly mix-ups. Axar Patel and Varma bumped fists mid-pitch, mistakenly believing a flick had gone to the boundary, but Kamil Pooran had kept the ball in play at deep square leg. Hope's throw found Varma short of his crease for 28. Moments later, Axar was run out for 20 after failing to respond to Arshdeep Singh's call, with Paul and Springer combining to complete the dismissal.
India's Tail Adds Late Runs
Arshdeep was trapped lbw by Springer, but Prince Yadav added valuable lower-order runs by heaving, scooping and edging Joseph for three boundaries. The innings was finally ended when Shamar Joseph castled Mayank Yadav with a pacy yorker, leaving India at 223 all out — a total that, given the early carnage, looks below par.
For West Indies, Roston Chase claimed 2 for 38 and Shamar Springer finished with 2 for 50. West Indies will now chase 224 at Holkar Stadium, with India needing quick wickets to defend a score many felt they had left out in the middle.
Point of View
And a chaotic second half that spoke to a persistent middle-order fragility. The run-out mix-ups, in particular, reflected a lack of communication under pressure that has surfaced repeatedly in India's T20 batting. Abhishek Sharma's milestone — fastest to 2,000 T20I runs by balls faced — deserves headlines, but the squandering of a commanding power-play position will dominate the dressing-room conversation. If West Indies chase this down, it will raise sharp questions about India's finishing instinct in the shortest format.
NationPress
11 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Abhishek Sharma's score in the 3rd T20I against West Indies?
Abhishek Sharma scored 69 off 30 balls, hitting six fours and five sixes, making him India's top-scorer in the 3rd T20I at Holkar Stadium, Indore, on 11 October 2026. He also became the fastest batter to 2,000 T20I runs by balls faced during his knock.
What was India's final score in the 3rd T20I against West Indies?
India were bowled out for 223 in 20 overs in the 3rd T20I at Indore. Despite a promising 87 for 1 at the end of the power-play, a middle-order collapse — including two run-out mix-ups — kept them well below the 250 they had threatened.
What milestone did Abhishek Sharma achieve in this match?
Abhishek Sharma became the fastest batter to reach 2,000 T20I runs in terms of balls faced, arriving at the landmark in just 1,024 deliveries. He also completed his 14th T20I fifty, doing so off just 18 balls.
How did India's innings collapse in the 3rd T20I?
After a dominant 108-run second-wicket partnership between Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan, India lost wickets rapidly through soft dismissals and two costly run-out mix-ups. Tilak Varma was run out for 28 and Axar Patel was run out for 20 in separate communication failures, unravelling India's innings from a strong position.
Which West Indies bowlers were most effective in the 3rd T20I?
Roston Chase was the pick of the West Indies bowlers with 2 for 38, dismantling the key 108-run partnership by stumping Ishan Kishan and trapping Shreyas Iyer lbw. Shamar Springer also took 2 for 50, while Gudakesh Motie claimed his 50th T20I wicket during the innings.
