India captain Shreyas Iyer credited his bowlers for delivering a 14-run victory over West Indies in the third T20I in Indore on Sunday, although a middle-order collapse after a blistering start left the hosts with areas to address despite taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
India posted 223 in 20 overs after being put in to bat, powered by Abhishek Sharma’s 69 off 30 balls and Ishan Kishan’s 37 off just 18 deliveries. The pair added 108 runs in a rapid second-wicket partnership, taking India past 100 inside nine overs.
However, India lost wickets in quick succession after reaching 115 for one, preventing the hosts from building on their explosive start. Contributions from Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Axar Patel helped India cross 220, but the late collapse meant they were bowled out with a ball remaining.
Iyer was pleased with how his bowlers responded while defending the total, particularly after West Indies had chased down 250 in the previous T20I.
“It was wonderful because the bowlers were pretty confident with what they wanted to execute. The clarity was much more visible. They were decisive in their execution and when I was passing the ball to them, each and every bowler was up for the challenge and that’s what you want,” Iyer said during the post-match presentation.
West Indies finished on 209 for seven, falling 14 runs short despite useful contributions from Shimron Hetmyer, who scored 43 off 26 balls, and Kamil Pooran, who made 42 off 27.
Arshdeep Singh was instrumental in India’s defence, taking three wickets for 44 runs, while Naman Dhir claimed two wickets. Their efforts helped India withstand the visitors’ late push and secure a crucial victory.
West Indies captain Shai Hope admitted his side needed to be more clinical with the ball after choosing to field first. The visitors had allowed India to score freely during the opening partnership and were unable to regain control despite taking wickets in the latter half of the innings.
The result gives India a series advantage with two matches remaining. For Iyer’s side, the challenge will be to combine the aggression shown at the top of the order with greater composure through the middle overs, while maintaining the bowling clarity that proved decisive in Indore.
