Shai Hope blazed a 45-ball century and Sherfane Rutherford smashed 84 off 37 deliveries as the West Indies completed a sensational six-wicket victory over India in the second T20I at the JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi on Friday, 9 October, chasing down a daunting 252 to record the second-highest successful run-chase in men's T20I history. India's 249/5 — built on Sanju Samson's 82 off 41 — proved insufficient as West Indies overhauled the target with 1.3 overs to spare, finishing at 252/4 in 18.3 overs.

Hope and Rutherford Rewrite the Record Books

Shai Hope's 104 off 45 balls — studded with boundaries across the ground — is now the fastest T20I century by a West Indian against India and the second-quickest by any West Indian in the format, behind Johnson Charles's 39-ball effort against South Africa in 2023. The skipper had already struck a half-century off 24 balls, matching the second-fastest West Indian fifty against India in T20Is.

Rutherford was equally destructive from the other end, reaching his own half-century off 24 balls before finishing with 84 off 37, including seven fours and seven sixes. The left-hander's knock extended his run of consecutive 50-plus T20I scores to three, putting him alongside Evin Lewis and Nicholas Pooran as West Indian batters to achieve the feat.

Together, they put on a 120-run stand for the fourth wicket — the biggest fourth-wicket partnership for West Indies in T20Is and the third-highest for the fourth wicket against India in the format. Their counterattack came after a fierce Mayank Yadav hat-trick in the Power-play had left West Indies reeling at 44/3, briefly tilting the contest India's way.

Mayank's Hat-Trick Could Not Derail the Chase

India fast bowler Mayank Yadav struck twice in the first over, removing Kamil Pooran for 4 off 2 — caught by substitute Ravi Bishnoi at midwicket — before Shimron Hetmyer fell for a golden duck to a delivery clocked at 144.5 kph. Mayank then returned in the sixth over to dismiss Rovman Powell for 24 off 13 at a searing 149.5 kph, sending the off stump cartwheeling.

His three-wicket burst — the hat-trick spread across his spells — finished with figures of 3/36 and was the most significant individual bowling effort of the night. However, the damage proved insufficient once Hope found his range and Rutherford joined the assault.

Notably, Hope was offered a lifeline just before the drinks break when Kuldeep Yadav shelled a sitter at short fine-leg off Mayank's bowling. Hope capitalised immediately, accelerating to triple figures. Kuldeep eventually had his moment of redemption in the 15th over, trapping Rutherford LBW for 84 — but by then the partnership had already tilted the match irreversibly.

India's 249/5 Built on Samson's Blaze and a Late Blitz

India had posted a formidable total, led by Sanju Samson's 82 off 41 balls (9 fours, 4 sixes). Samson reached his half-century off just 21 balls, tying the record for the fastest T20I fifty by an Indian against West Indies, held by Virat Kohli at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, in 2019. It was also Samson's second consecutive T20I half-century of the series.

India were cruising at 79/1 at the Power-play end and 127/1 at the halfway stage, with Ishan Kishan contributing a fluent 43 off 22 before being bowled by Roston Chase in the 12th over. Chase also dismissed Shivam Dube for 7 off 10, before Samson fell to a catch in the deep off a Kesture Paul delivery in the 15th over. Chase ended with impressive figures of 3/24.

The innings was rescued and supercharged by a 83-run stand in 32 balls between Tilak Varma (44* off 18) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (40 off 18), the former smashing three consecutive sixes in the final stretch. Their late blitz ultimately proved just short of what the contest demanded.

Historic Chase Context and Series Implications

West Indies' 252/4 in 18.3 overs bettered Australia's 245/5 against New Zealand at Auckland in 2018 to become the second-highest successful T20I run-chase in history. Only South Africa's 259/4 in the 19th over against West Indies at Centurion in 2023 stands higher. It is also the highest successful chase in West Indies' T20I history.

This is the second T20I of the series, and West Indies' win levels or extends their position depending on the first match result. The defeat is a sobering lesson for India: even a total approaching 250 offers no guarantee in the format's current batting-era conditions. The series moves on with the remaining matches sure to carry heightened tactical significance.