The West Indies just pulled off a clutch 24-run win over India in Hyderabad on Wednesday, taking the fourth Twenty20 and evening up the five-match series at two games apiece. This means we’re heading for a winner-take-all series decider in Bengaluru on Saturday, and if history’s any guide, that place is absolutely wild.
The Hyderabad Tangle
Chasing a massive 248 runs, India started off hot, with Sanju Samson smashing a half-century in just 20 balls before Keemo Paul got him out for 56. Shreyas Iyer chipped in with 16 off 11, and Abhishek Sharma added 29 before Gudakesh Motie sent him back to the dugout. India wasn’t out of it yet, though. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Tilak Varma put together a 70-run partnership off only 32 balls, keeping that chase alive and making us all believe. But Varma eventually went for 43, and Paul stepped up big time, taking Reddy and two more wickets in the 19th over, completely derailing India’s momentum. The lower order just couldn’t hang on, and India ended up all out for 223. What a gut punch, right?
Bengaluru’s Last Bonkers Match
Now, about that series decider in Bengaluru. The last time India played a T20I there was January 17, 2024, against Afghanistan, in the third and final match of that series. India had already locked up the series 2-0, but “dead rubber” was absolutely not in the vocabulary for that game. It was pure, unadulterated drama, packed with two Super Overs and even a wild controversy involving Rohit Sharma. India started that match in total meltdown mode, losing four wickets inside the powerplay. Jaiswal fell at 18 runs, Kohli was gone at the same score, Shivam Dube departed at 21, and they lost their fourth wicket with only 22 runs on the board. Seriously, 22 for 4! But then, Rohit Sharma, who had chosen to bat after winning the toss, did what legends do. He combined with Rinku Singh for an insane 190-run fifth-wicket partnership, pulling India back from the brink to finish at 212 for 4. Rohit blasted an incredible 121 off 69 balls, becoming the first batter ever to hit five centuries in T20 internationals, while Rinku added 69 off 38 deliveries.
The Super Over Saga and the Controversy
Afghanistan wasn’t just gonna roll over, though. They matched India’s 212 total, thanks in part to Gulbadin Naib’s blistering 55 off 23 balls, sending the game into a Super Over. Mukesh Kumar bowled for India in the first Super Over, facing Naib and Gurbaz. There was a mix-up, and Naib got run out. Gurbaz and Nabi then scored more runs, but here’s where it got wild. On the final delivery, a throw from wicketkeeper Sanju Samson deflected off Nabi’s leg towards long-on. The pair ran two more runs, which obviously did not sit well with Rohit and his teammates. Virat Kohli was seen clapping right in Nabi’s face, he was that furious! With two runs needed off the final ball of that first Super Over, Rohit, at the non-striker’s end, walked off the field to let Rinku Singh take over the running. But Yashasvi Jaiswal’s bottom edge went straight to the wicketkeeper, and India only managed a single, leaving the first Super Over tied. Then, get this: Rohit was ready to bat again in the *second* Super Over! There’s a rule, point 22 of Appendix F, that says a batter who retired can return only if it was due to injury, illness, or “any other unavoidable cause.” This game had everything!
So, yeah, Saturday’s series decider in Bengaluru? It’s not just another game. After the tight loss in Hyderabad and knowing the absolute madness that went down the last time India played there, you just know this is gonna be appointment viewing. The series is tied, the stakes are sky-high, and if the past is any indicator, Bengaluru is about to give us another classic. Don’t miss it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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