Shai Hope blazed an unbeaten 102 off 50 balls and Keemo Paul followed up with a match-winning 5/41 as West Indies defeated India by 24 runs in the fourth T20I at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday, 14 October, levelling the five-match series 2-2. Chasing a formidable 247/3, India were bowled out for 223 in 19.3 overs, setting up a winner-takes-all fifth T20I in Bengaluru.

Hope and Rutherford Torch the Powerplay

West Indies were asked to bat first and made an immediate statement, racing to 79/1 in the powerplay — their highest powerplay total against India in T20 Internationals. Jewel Andrew contributed a brisk 21 off 16 balls before departing, but Hope anchored the innings while keeping the scoring rate relentless. The visitors reached the 100-run mark in just 7.4 overs, equalling their fastest team century against India in the format, previously set at Lauderhill in 2016.

Shimron Hetmyer provided the mid-innings acceleration with a pyrotechnic 33 off 12 balls, striking at 275. West Indies were 118/2 at the halfway mark, well ahead of par.

Hope, who had reached his fifty off 28 balls, shifted into an even higher gear in the final overs. Sherfane Rutherford was equally destructive, finishing on 49 not out off 26 deliveries. The pair put on an unbroken 91-run stand for the fourth wicket — the second-highest partnership for that wicket for West Indies in T20Is. Notably, they themselves held the record with a 120-run stand from the previous game in Ranchi. Hope sealed the innings in style, smashing two sixes off the final two deliveries to close on an unbeaten 102, taking West Indies to 247/3 — their second-highest T20I total against India, behind the 252/4 posted in Ranchi earlier this series.

Paul's Double Strike Breaks India's Chase

India's reply began in blazing fashion. Sanju Samson raced to a fifty off just 20 balls, threatening to turn the chase into a procession. But Paul intervened sharply, dismissing the dangerous Samson at deep backward square-leg with his very first delivery before removing Ishan Kishan in the same over. The two-wicket salvo in a single over effectively broke India's back.

Gudakesh Motie compounded India's troubles in the middle overs, dismissing Abhishek Sharma and Naman Dhir in successive deliveries. Roston Chase had earlier kept Abhishek quiet, while Shamar Springer delivered a crucial 18th over that conceded just five runs, squeezing India at a critical juncture.

Paul returned in the 19th over to clean up three more wickets, completing his five-wicket haul. Tilak Varma top-scored for India in the lower order with 43, but the required rate had long since become unmanageable. The innings closed prematurely when Arshdeep Singh retired hurt after clutching his left shoulder, leaving Mayank Yadav without a batting partner. India were bowled out for 223, falling 24 runs short.

A Historic Win on Indian Soil

The result carries additional historical weight for West Indies: this was their first T20I victory on Indian soil since 2019. Hope, playing the form of his life on this tour, registered his second century of the series and his third in T20 Internationals. His all-round excellence has been the defining storyline of the contest.

This also marks only the second time in the series that India have failed to chase a West Indies total, having fallen short in Ranchi as well. The pattern suggests India's bowling — particularly in the death overs — remains a vulnerability that the West Indies coaching staff have identified and exploited.

Series Decider Set for Bengaluru

With the series locked at 2-2, the fifth and final T20I in Bengaluru will decide the outcome of the tour. West Indies, buoyed by consecutive batting records and Paul's emerging status as a series-defining bowler, head into the decider with significant momentum. India, meanwhile, will need to address their death-bowling leaks and assess the fitness of Arshdeep Singh ahead of the final clash.

Brief Scores: West Indies 247/3 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 102 not out, Sherfane Rutherford 49 not out; Prince Yadav 1/36) beat India 223/9 in 19.3 overs (Sanju Samson 56, Tilak Varma 43; Keemo Paul 5/40, Gudakesh Motie 2/13) by 24 runs.