India vs West Indies: India Create History Despite Match Washout, Set New T20I Record

New Delhi: India set a new record by batting aggressively in the fifth T20 International against West Indies. In the series decider played at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, the Indian team completed 50 runs in just 2.5 overs i.e. 17 balls. This was India's fastest team half-century in men's T20 International cricket. However, the match could not be completed due to continuous rain and the five-match series ended in a 2-2 draw.

How fast was India's start?

West Indies won the toss and decided to bowl first at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Indian batsmen adopted an aggressive approach from the very beginning. Abhishek Sharma hit a six in the first over, but he was out on the very next ball. Despite this, the run pace of the Indian team did not slow down. Runs were also scored from wides and no-balls in the initial over, due to which the score progressed rapidly. After this, Ishan Kishan attacked the West Indies bowlers and took India towards the record. 

How did Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson increase the pace?

Ishan Kishan strengthened the Indian innings by scoring 30 runs in just 10 balls. He batted aggressively and kept the bowlers under pressure. Sanju Samson also played a quick inning of 16 runs in seven balls. Indian team completed 50 runs in 2.5 overs. Earlier, India's best record was against West Indies, when the team had scored 50 runs in three overs in Hyderabad. Now the team in Bengaluru has left behind its own record. 

Did India even cross the 100-run mark?

Indian batsmen continued the process of scoring fast runs. Shreyas Iyer scored 22 runs in 14 balls, while other batsmen also made small but useful contributions. Naman Dhir scored unbeaten 24 runs in six balls while scoring runs rapidly in the last overs. His innings included big shots. India had scored 118 runs for five wickets in 7.4 overs. The team had a chance to reach a big score, but during this time rain interrupted the game.

How did rain spoil the excitement of the decisive match?

The timing of the match was changed repeatedly due to continuous rain. The match was reduced to nine overs each, but it started raining again during the Indian innings. Given the condition of the field and the weather, the game could not be restarted. Ultimately the umpires declared the match cancelled. In this way, West Indies did not get a chance to chase the target and the series could not be decided. Both teams ended the five-match T20 series tied 2-2. 

What does this record mean for India?

Even though the match did not result, India's fast batting once again highlighted the team's aggressive style in T20 cricket. Scoring 50 runs in 17 balls is the new best performance of the Indian men's team in this format. In this series, the batting of both the teams was very aggressive, and big scores were seen in many matches. However, fans could not get the thrill of the final match as the decisive match was washed out by rain.