IND vs WI, 3rd T20I: Abhishek-Ishan stand guides India to 223 despite hiccups
Abhishek Sharma's explosive half-century and a century stand with Ishan Kishan helped India reach 223 despite a middle-order collapse against West Indies.
Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan played explosive innings to propel India to a formidable total of 223 in 20 overs during the third T20I against West Indies at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday. Despite a sudden middle-order collapse that threatened to derail the innings, the Indian batters ensured a massive scoreboard pressure.
Early Dominance and the Abhishek-Ishan Onslaught
The match began with a tense start for India as West Indies' Shamar Joseph struck early, dismissing Sanju Samson for three in six balls. India found themselves reeling at 7/1 in the second over. However, the momentum shifted dramatically when Abhishek Sharma broke the shackles, hitting two sixes and a four against Roston.
Alongside Ishan Kishan, Abhishek dismantled the West Indian bowling attack. Abhishek, who became the sixth player to join India's 2,000-run T20I club, was particularly dominant against Shamar Springer. The duo reached the 50-run mark in just 4.2 overs and extended their dominance through the powerplay, leaving India at 87/1 after six overs.
Middle-Order Collapse and Turning Points
The 108-run partnership between Abhishek and Ishan was eventually broken when Roston stumped Ishan Kishan for a quickfire 37 off 18 balls. The momentum shifted heavily toward the West Indies as the Indian lineup crumbled. Following Ishan's dismissal, skipper Shreyas Iyer fell for just one, and Abhishek Sharma was eventually caught off a top-edge by Springer, departing for 69 off 30 balls.
The collapse continued as Gudakesh Motie dismissed Naman Dhir, leaving India at a precarious 135/5. The team appeared to be heading toward a much lower total than the 250+ they were eyeing during the powerplay.
Late Surge and Final Total
India began to recover thanks to a steadying partnership between Tilak Verma and Nitish Kumar Reddy, which brought the score to 169/6. However, the momentum was halted again when Nitish Kumar Reddy was caught by Shai Hope for 21.
A tragic run-out saw Tilak Verma (28) depart, followed by another run-out involving Axar Patel (20) due to a poor call from Arshdeep Singh. Despite the flurry of wickets, Prince Yadav provided a late spark with a series of boundaries, including a remarkable scoop, to push India past the 220-mark. India eventually finished their innings at 223, with Mayank Yadav being cleaned up by a yorker from Shamar Joseph in the final over.
West Indies Bowling Highlights:
- Roston: 2/38
- Shamar Joseph: 2/54
- Shamar Springer: 2/50