IND vs WI, 4th T20I: Hope's dream run continues with fourth ton of tour, Windies post 247/3 against India
Shai Hope smashes his fourth century of the tour as West Indies race to a massive 247/3 against India in the 4th T20I at Hyderabad.
Shai Hope is having the tour of a lifetime. The West Indies skipper continued his incredible run of form by smashing his fourth century of the Indian tour, propelling his side to a massive 247/3 in the fourth T20I against India in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Hope’s Historic Run Continues
With this latest masterpiece, Hope has now recorded three T20I centuries during this tour, setting a new benchmark for West Indian batters. This marks his fifth fifty-plus score of the series, including his two hundreds during the ODI leg. His aggressive onslaught has kept the West Indies' hopes of leveling the series alive after a tough start.
Choosing to bat first, the West Indies openers, Shai Hope and Jewel Andrew, immediately put the Indian bowlers on the back foot. Andrew set the tone early, taking 17 runs off Arshdeep Singh's opening over with two boundaries and a six. The pressure mounted on India's express pacer Mayank Yadav, whose third over proved costly, leaking 20 runs due to a combination of a no-ball, a wide, and a massive six from Hope.
India's Fightback and the Powerplay Surge
India found a momentary breakthrough when Axar Patel, playing in his 200th international match, dismissed Jewel Andrew for 21. However, the momentum quickly swung back to the visitors. Shimron Hetmyer entered the fray and began a demolition job, hitting two boundaries and a six in Arshdeep Singh's final powerplay over. By the end of the powerplay, West Indies sat comfortably at 79/1.
The partnership between Hope and Hetmyer was electric, reaching a 50-run stand in just 20 deliveries. India finally broke the momentum when Prince Yadav caught and bowled Hetmyer for a brisk 33. Despite this, the run rate remained sky-high as Hope continued to punish the Indian attack.
A Mountain of Runs in Hyderabad
As the innings progressed, Hope reached his fifth fifty-plus score of the tour in just 28 balls, aided by a towering six off Mayank Yadav. The middle order saw some fireworks from Rovman Powell, who contributed 24 runs before being dismissed by Arshdeep Singh.
The onslaught did not slow down in the death overs. Mayank Yadav struggled significantly, conceding 52 runs in his four overs, while Arshdeep Singh finished with figures of 1/52. Sherfane Rutherford provided crucial support at the end, smashing 49* off just 26 balls to ensure the total reached a daunting height.
West Indies Final Scorecard:
- Shai Hope: 102* (50) — including 4 fours and 9 sixes
- Sherfane Rutherford: 49* (26)
- Shimron Hetmyer: 33 (12)
- Rovman Powell: 24 (17)
India's best bowling performance came from Prince Yadav, who finished with figures of 1/36. With a target of 248 to chase, India faces a monumental task in Hyderabad.