Shai Hope continued his remarkable run on India’s home tour with an unbeaten century, while Keemo Paul claimed five wickets to guide the West Indies to a 24-run victory in the fourth T20I in Hyderabad on Wednesday. The result levelled the five-match series 2-2 and set up a decider in Bengaluru on October 17.
Asked to bat first, the West Indies piled up 247/3 in 20 overs, with Hope leading the charge through an unbeaten 102 off 50 deliveries. The visitors then held their nerve with the ball to bowl India out for 223, despite a blistering start from Sanju Samson.
Hope struck four boundaries and nine sixes, continuing a prolific tour in which he has scored centuries in both the ODI and T20I legs. He received valuable support from Shimron Hetmyer, who made 33 off 12 balls, and Sherfane Rutherford, who remained unbeaten on 49 off 26 deliveries.
Rutherford and Hope added an unbroken 91 runs for the fourth wicket, accelerating the scoring in the closing overs. Hope reached his century with two successive sixes in the final over, giving the West Indies a formidable total to defend.
India began the chase aggressively, with Samson smashing 56 off just 23 balls. However, Paul shifted the momentum in the fifth over by dismissing Samson and Ishan Kishan in quick succession. Samson’s departure proved crucial after India had made a rapid start to the innings.
Shreyas Iyer contributed 16 before falling, while Gudakesh Motie struck twice in the 12th over, removing Abhishek Sharma for 29 and Naman Dhir for a duck. India were left struggling at 130/5.
Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy revived the chase with a 70-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Tilak scored 43 off 25 balls, while Reddy added 41 off 20, bringing India back into contention.
Paul returned to break the partnership and continued to pick up wickets in the closing stages, finishing with figures of 5/41. His second career T20I five-wicket haul ensured India could not complete the chase.
Hope’s innings earned him another major contribution to the West Indies’ tour, while Paul’s spell proved decisive in a match that swung between explosive batting and timely breakthroughs.
With the series now level, both sides head to Bengaluru for the fifth and final T20I, where the winner will take the series.
