A late counter-attack from Rovman Powell and Jason Holder propelled West Indies cricket team to a competitive 195 for 4 against India national cricket team in their T20 World Cup clash at Eden Gardens.
It is a significant total in context: India have never successfully chased anything higher in T20 World Cups. Yet, given the swings of the innings and the resources in hand, both sides could argue they have reasons for optimism.
Opening in the absence of Brandon King, Roston Chase partnered captain Shai Hope at the top. While the pair navigated the powerplay without loss, momentum never quite gathered pace.
Hope’s 32 from 33 balls anchored the innings but also stalled it. On a surface offering value for shots, the lack of fluency left West Indies playing catch-up. Chase, more proactive, struck 40 from 25 on his first outing as an international opener, but the platform remained only partially built.
Axar Patel conceded just 25 in his first three overs despite being struck for boundaries early, allowing India to delay the introduction of Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy.
When Bumrah arrived, the shift was immediate. He removed the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer for 27 from 12 with a skiddy delivery confirmed by UltraEdge, before dismissing Chase with a deceptive slower ball in a match-turning over.
At 119 for 4 in the 15th over, West Indies were in danger of falling well short.
Powell changed the tone — and the numbers. In a blistering cameo of 34 from 19 balls, he became the first West Indies batter to reach 150 T20I sixes, surpassing Nicholas Pooran’s tally of 149.
One over, plundered for 24, included a 98-metre strike and a flurry of extras. The acceleration was emphatic: 76 runs came from the final 31 legal deliveries, despite a boundary-less 19th over from Arshdeep Singh, who rebounded impressively after earlier punishment.
Holder provided the finishing thrust with 37 from 22, ensuring the innings closed with authority rather than regret. Remove Hope’s contribution, and West Indies scored 163 from just 14.3 overs — a reminder of how sharply the innings pivoted.
For all the late fireworks, the question lingers: will West Indies rue the tempo of their middle overs? On a ground historically difficult to defend, 195 feels competitive rather than commanding.
India, who chose to bowl first on a slightly overcast evening, will believe the chase is within range. But history adds intrigue — they have never overhauled a higher target in a T20 World Cup.
