Shai Hope's Record Century Levels T20 Series as West Indies Thrash India

West Indies captain Shai Hope achieved a personal best, scoring an unbeaten 102, to lead his team to a 24-run victory over India in the fourth T20 international on Wednesday. This win levels the five-match series at 2-2, setting up a thrilling decider.

Hope's magnificent innings included nine sixes and four fours, marking his third T20 century and the most by any West Indies batter. His performance propelled West Indies to a formidable total of 247-3 in their 20 overs, after India had won the toss and elected to bowl. This score stands as the second-highest first innings total against India in T20 internationals, surpassed only by England's 257-3 earlier this year.

In response, India's Sanju Samson provided a brief spark with a rapid 56 off just 23 balls, but the chase ultimately faltered. India was restricted to 223 all out in 19.3 overs. Keemo Paul was the standout bowler for West Indies, taking 5-41 for his second T20 five-wicket haul.

The decisive fifth T20 will be held in Bengaluru on Saturday.

West Indies' innings began with a strong opening partnership of 52 off 26 balls between Hope and Jewel Andrew (21). Although Axar Patel dismissed Andrew lbw in the fifth over, West Indies still managed to score 79-1 during the powerplay. Hope continued his aggressive approach, adding another 58 runs off 24 balls with Shimron Hetmyer. He reached his half-century in 28 balls, including five sixes, and later secured his second century of the series with four more sixes.

Hope's century also placed him among an elite group, becoming only the fifth batter to score multiple hundreds in a bilateral T20 series. Across ODIs and T20s on this tour, it was his fourth hundred in seven innings.

Despite Prince Yadav dismissing Hetmyer for 33 and Rovman Powell adding 24, Sherfane Rutherford provided a powerful finish, scoring an unbeaten 49 off 26 balls with four fours and three sixes, helping West Indies surpass the 200-run mark. Hope and Rutherford's partnership of 91 runs from just 43 balls was crucial, with India incurring a slow over-rate penalty in the final over. Nitish Reddy conceded 19 runs in the last over, during which Hope reached his century with a final-ball six.

India's reply saw Samson and Abhishek Sharma (29) combine for a rapid 60 off 25 balls, propelling India to 80-2 in the powerplay. However, Keemo Paul shifted the momentum with two wickets in the fifth over, removing Samson and Ishan Kishan (caught for six). India's struggles continued as they lost captain Shreyas Iyer (16) before the halfway mark, leaving them at 97-3.

Abhishek Sharma's 29 off 24 balls, including three fours and a six, ended when he was caught at long off by Gudakesh Motie in the 12th over, a dismissal that proved to be a turning point. Motie also claimed the wicket of Naman Dhir for a golden duck, caught and stumped respectively. Tilak Varma (43 off 25 balls) and Nitish Reddy (41 off 20 balls) offered some resistance, but their efforts were in vain as Paul secured three wickets in the 19th over to seal the victory for West Indies.