India vs West Indies 3rd T20I: Abhishek Sharma's 69 powers hosts to 223, calls score 'really good'
Synopsis
Abhishek Sharma's blazing 69 off just 30 balls anchored India's 223 against West Indies in the third T20I at Indore, but a five-wicket middle-overs collapse left the hosts admitting they were 15-20 runs short. With the pitch favouring lengths between five and six metres, the Indian bowling attack now holds the key to defending a total they believe is still very much in the game.
Key Takeaways
Abhishek Sharma top-scored with 69 off 30 balls — his 14th T20I fifty — as India posted 223 in the 3rd T20I at Holkar Stadium, Indore on 11 October 2026 .
India reached 87 for 1 in the Powerplay at 14.5 runs per over before losing five wickets for 87 runs in the middle overs.
Abhishek acknowledged the total was 15-20 runs below ideal but called 220-plus a 'really good score' on the surface.
West Indies pacers took 5 wickets for 142 at an economy of 11.83 ; spinners claimed 3 for 75 at 9.37 .
Abhishek highlighted 5-6 metre lengths as the toughest to negotiate and backed India's experienced bowling attack to defend the target.
Abhishek Sharma top-scored with a blazing 69 off 30 balls as India posted 223 against West Indies in the third T20I at Holkar Stadium, Indore on Sunday, 11 October 2026. The left-handed opener acknowledged that the total was 15-20 runs below the ideal mark, but maintained it was still a highly competitive score given the nature of the surface.
India's Innings at a Glance
The hosts burst out of the blocks in the Powerplay, racing to 87 for 1 at a striking rate of 14.5 runs per over. The middle overs proved costly, however, with India surrendering five wickets for 87 runs between overs seven and 15. A partial recovery in the death overs — 49 runs from the final five — brought them to 223 all out in 20 overs.
What Abhishek Sharma Said
'I think the score is pretty good, because the way we started and ended it, obviously, 15-20 runs difference, but I still feel 220 is a really good score, especially on this pitch,' Abhishek told broadcasters during the mid-innings break. The knock was his 14th T20I fifty, underlining his growing stature as a white-ball power-hitter at the top of the order.
On the pitch conditions, Abhishek stressed that lengths between five and six metres would be the most challenging for the batting side. 'Anything a bit 5 to 6 meters would be great, because it's not easy to play straight shots. So you have to wait for the ball to hit it,' he explained, noting that despite Holkar Stadium's compact boundaries, scoring at will would not be straightforward.
West Indies Bowling Breakdown
The visiting pacers made inroads through the innings, claiming five wickets for 142 runs across their 12 overs at an economy rate of 11.83. The spinners were tighter, picking up three wickets for 75 runs in 8 overs at an economy of 9.37. Off-spin bowling all-rounder Roston Chase drew particular mention from Abhishek, who said he respected Chase's first over before capitalising on opportunities in the second.
'He's a class bowler, what I've seen in the last few matches. So I had to wait for my ball and just in the second over, I feel he gave me two balls when he was going for the wicket. So I had that opportunity to score some runs,' Abhishek said.
India's Bowling Confidence
Abhishek expressed confidence in the Indian bowling attack's ability to defend the total, citing the team's experience. 'We have enough experience on the bowling side. So I think it's going to be challenging for them,' he said, pointing to the pitch's awkward lengths as a key factor that could trouble the West Indies batters in the second innings. This series comes as India continue to rotate and blood younger talent in the T20 format ahead of future multi-lateral tournaments.
Point of View
But India's middle-overs implosion — five wickets for 87 between overs seven and 15 — is the pattern that keeps reappearing in this Indian batting lineup and demands scrutiny beyond the flattering opening burst. Abhishek Sharma's individual brilliance once again masked a structural brittleness: when the Powerplay fizz dies, India's middle order regularly struggles to consolidate. The pitch variable cuts both ways; if those 5-6 metre lengths trouble West Indies similarly, India's attack could make 223 look plenty. But the larger question for Indian team management is whether a top-order blitz can reliably substitute for a cohesive middle-order gameplan in crunch bilateral and multi-lateral fixtures ahead.
NationPress
11 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What score did India post in the 3rd T20I against West Indies in Indore?
India posted 223 runs in their allotted 20 overs in the third T20I at Holkar Stadium, Indore on 11 October 2026 . The innings was anchored by Abhishek Sharma's 69 off 30 balls .
How did Abhishek Sharma perform in the 3rd T20I?
Abhishek Sharma was India's top scorer, smashing 69 off 30 balls — his 14th fifty in T20 International cricket . He anchored the Powerplay assault before India lost momentum in the middle overs.
Why did Abhishek Sharma say India were 15-20 runs short?
Abhishek said that despite the strong start in the Powerplay, India lost five wickets for 87 runs in the middle overs, which cost them additional runs. He estimated the ideal score on that pitch would have been around 238-243 , though he still called 220-plus 'really good' given the surface conditions.
What did Abhishek Sharma say about the Holkar Stadium pitch?
Abhishek highlighted that lengths between five and six metres would be the hardest to negotiate, adding that playing straight shots was not easy despite the compact boundaries. He said both teams had factored in those conditions during their planning.
How did West Indies bowlers perform against India in the 3rd T20I?
West Indies pacers claimed 5 wickets for 142 runs in 12 overs at an economy of 11.83 , while the spinners took 3 wickets for 75 runs in 8 overs at 9.37 . Off-spinner Roston Chase was particularly noted by Abhishek as a 'class bowler'.
