Shai Hope's 45-Ball Hundred Powers West Indies to a 250-Run Chase as India Lose in Ranchi

India set a target of 250 in Ranchi on Friday night and still lost. West Indies captain Shai Hope made an unbeaten 102 off 45 balls and took his side home by six wickets with nine balls to spare in the second T20I. The result levels the five-match series at 1-1 and goes down as one of the biggest successful chases in T20 international history. It is also West Indies' highest successful T20I chase.

India's total looked enough

After being sent in, India batted fast from the start. Sanju Samson reached his fifty in 21 balls, equalling India's fastest T20I half-century against West Indies, and went on to 82 off 41 balls with nine fours and four sixes. Ishan Kishan added a brisk 43 off 22. Off-spinner Roston Chase slowed things briefly, taking 3 for 24 in four overs, the only economical spell of the night, as he removed Abhishek Sharma, Kishan and Shivam Dube.

Captain Shreyas Iyer, who made a century in the series opener, hit 40 off 18 balls. Tilak Varma finished unbeaten on 44 off 18. India scored heavily in the last overs to reach 249 for 5, the first 200-plus total in a T20I at the JSCA International Stadium. Shamar Springer took two wickets but went for 64 in his four overs.

A start that flattered India

The chase began badly for West Indies. Mayank Yadav, bowling at around 145 to 150 kph, took two wickets in the first over, removing Kamil Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer. He then bowled Rovman Powell for 24 to leave the visitors at 58 for 3 in the sixth over. Mayank finished with 3 for 36.

After that, India's bowlers had no answer. Hope and Sherfane Rutherford put on a match-turning stand, with Rutherford hitting 84 off 37 balls with seven sixes. Kuldeep Yadav's last over cost 24 runs, and Axar Patel conceded 63 in 3.3 overs. Hope hit nine sixes in all and finished the game by hitting Axar for six, completing his second T20I century in the same shot. Romario Shepherd made an unbeaten 34 off 13 balls at the other end.

A familiar tormentor

India have seen this from Hope before. Earlier in this tour he made 162 not out to lead a record ODI chase of 352 (see our earlier coverage). Tonight's innings was another example of how well he paces a big chase.

What it means for India

The defeat will raise questions about India's death bowling. Apart from Mayank's early spell, every Indian bowler conceded more than 11 runs an over. Two of the most experienced options, Axar and Kuldeep, conceded 116 runs between them. With the series now level, the team management has to decide whether to change its bowling attack or back the same group to recover.

The teams move to the Holkar Stadium in Indore for the third T20I on Sunday, October 11. Indore's short boundaries are known for high scores, so India's bowlers face another difficult test there.

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