Hyderabad: Shai Hope produced a stunning unbeaten century, completing the landmark with a six off the final ball, as West Indies piled up 247 for three against India in the fourth T20 International Wednesday, exposing the hosts’ bowling frailties.
Hope smashed 102 off just 50 balls, while Sherfane Rutherford provided the finishing flourish with an unbeaten 49 off 26 deliveries as the visitors dominated India’s attack after being asked to bat.
West Indies struck 16 sixes and benefited from 18 extras, with India’s bowlers struggling for consistency throughout the innings. Mayank Yadav and Arshdeep Singh conceded 52 runs apiece in their four overs, while the hosts also suffered from missed opportunities in the field.
Hope’s century was his second of the series, fourth on the tour and third in T20Is, underlining his outstanding form. He shared an unbeaten 91-run stand off 43 balls with Rutherford to propel the visitors to a formidable total.
The West Indies made a blistering start, racing to 79 for one in the powerplay, equalling the joint-highest six-over score against India in T20Is. New Zealand had posted the same total in Trivandrum earlier this year.
The visitors also reached 100 in just 7.4 overs, matching their own record against India in Lauderhill in 2016, when they had achieved the milestone without losing a wicket.
Hope dictated terms from the outset, bringing up his half-century in 28 balls. It was his second fifty of the series and 14th in T20Is. At the other end, Jewel Andrew struck 21 off 16 balls before Axar Patel trapped him leg before wicket with his first delivery.
Shimron Hetmyer then launched a fierce assault, smashing 33 off just 12 balls, including four fours and two sixes, as the visitors raced past 100. Naman Dhir conceded 19 runs in his first over, with Hope and Hetmyer repeatedly finding the boundary.
Prince Yadav eventually ended Hetmyer’s charge in the ninth over, deceiving the left-hander with extra pace as a mistimed pull went straight back to the bowler for a caught-and-bowled dismissal.
Rovman Powell kept the momentum going with 24 off 17 balls, including two fours and a six, before Arshdeep Singh found his edge in the 13th over, with Sanju Samson completing the catch.
Rutherford then joined Hope to maintain the assault. While Nitish Kumar Reddy briefly stemmed the flow with a disciplined over, Mayank was taken apart in the 17th, conceding 22 runs as Rutherford struck two sixes and a four.
Prince delivered a tidy 19th over, conceding 10 runs, but Mayank dropped another catch off Rutherford to offer the left-hander a reprieve. Nitish returned for the final over and was greeted with a boundary before Hope took charge.
Hope launched successive sixes off the last two deliveries to move from 90-plus to his century, sealing a remarkable innings in the final ball of the 20th over.
