India and West Indies had to settle for a 2-2 draw in their five-match T20 series after the fifth and deciding game ended with no result due to rain in Bengaluru on Saturday. The India West Indies T20 series decider never got the finish it promised.
Persistent showers delayed the start and reduced the contest to nine overs per side before West Indies won the toss and elected to field. India lost opener Abhishek Sharma for six off the bowling of Keemo Paul, but Ishan Kishan then hammered 30 off 10 balls to provide the early impetus.
The hosts surged to 118-5 in 7.4 overs before rain returned and forced the players off the field. With conditions failing to improve, officials ended the match and both teams shared the series honours.
Frustration at the Chinnaswamy
The match was the first international fixture at Chinnaswamy Stadium in two years, and the crowd had turned up expecting a decider worthy of the occasion. Instead, the weather had the final say.
Veteran seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, recalled to India’s T20 squad for the first time since November 2022, was denied the chance to mark his return with the ball. Shamar Joseph, who dismissed Kishan during the brief passage of play, was the pick of the West Indies bowlers on show.
The drawn series extends an entertaining rivalry that has produced big moments throughout. Earlier in the series, West Indies stunned India with a record 250-run chase in Ranchi to level the contest, a result that set up Saturday’s winner-takes-all finale. With the decider producing no result, neither side could claim the series, and the honours were shared.
India West Indies T20 series: what comes next
India will now travel to New Zealand for an all-format tour that begins on October 22. The Black Caps have already been hit by injuries, with Chapman and Foulkes ruled out of the T20Is against India. The series also saw Amir Jangoo earn a T20I call-up for West Indies after a sparkling ODI run in India.
West Indies, meanwhile, will visit Bangladesh for a two-match ICC World Test Championship 2025/27 series, where valuable championship points will be at stake.
Source: The Express Tribune
Why was the fifth India-West Indies T20I abandoned?
Persistent rain in Bengaluru delayed the start and reduced the match to nine overs per side. After India reached 118-5 in 7.4 overs, rain returned and conditions never improved enough to resume, so officials ended the game with no result.
What was the final result of the India-West Indies T20 series?
The five-match series ended in a 2-2 draw after the decider was washed out. The series had earlier featured West Indies’ record 250-run chase in Ranchi.
Who were the standout performers in the decider?
Ishan Kishan hammered 30 off 10 balls for India, while Shamar Joseph dismissed him and Keemo Paul removed Abhishek Sharma for six.
