West Indies Clinch Series 3-2 With 8 Wicket Win Over India in 5th T20I

West Indies registered an 8-wicket win over India in the fifth and final test of the 5-match T20I series to secure a 3-2 series win over the men in blue on Sunday.

India set the Windies a target of 166 runs to win and the men from West Indies polished off the chase in 18 overs thanks to Brandon King’s unbeaten 85-run knock.

India won the toss and opted to bat first in the decider as Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill opened the innings for the men in blue.

However, both batsmen were dismissed cheaply on the day as they couldn’t replicate their brilliant opening stand in the fourth T20I, which helped India secure a victory and level the series on Saturday.

Akeal Hossain was the man in charge of both dismissals as he scalped Jaiswal for just 5 and Gill for 9 runs.

But, Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma steadied the ship with their 49 runs stand for the third wicket, before Varma was caught and bowled by Roston Chase.

Sanju Samson chipped in with 13 runs off his willow before he fell prey to Romario Shepard, and skipper Hardik Pandya was next to go as Shepard sent the  Indian captain on the long walk back to the pavilion after having scored 14 runs.

Suryakmar who brought up a brilliant fifty made 61 runs off just 45 deliveries before being sent back to the hut by Jason Holder. Axar Patel chipped in with 13 runs before being dismissed by Holder.

Shepard struck again as he scalped Arshdeep Singh for 8 runs and Kuldeep Yadav for a duck. India made 165 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in their 20 overs and set WI a target of 166 runs to clinch the series.

The Indian innings was halted twice due to rain before resumption.

The Windies opened their chase with Brandon King and Kyle Mayers, before the latter was the first to go as Arshdeep got his man in the second over after the batsman had made 10 runs off just 5 deliveries.

Nicholas Pooran came into replace the outgoing player and put up a solid partnership alongside King.

Kings brought up his half ton and Pooran made 46 before rain interrupted play yet again and the Windies were cruising at 117 for the loss of just 1 wicket and needed less than fifty runs to win with just over 7 overs remaining.

When play resumed following the rain delay, Pooran surrendered his wicket to Varma as he was caught out by Pandya.

Hope walked out to the crease and straightaway took the attack to the Indian bowlers. Hope put up 22 runs on the board off just 13 deliveries while King remained unbeaten at 85 runs off 55 deliveries to guide West Indies to a famous win over India to seal the series.