Ranchi, Oct 9 (IANS) India captain Shreyas Iyer said it was difficult to determine a par score with the dew factor playing a significant role after the hosts’ imposing total of 249/5 was chased down by the West Indies in the second T20I at the JSCA International Stadium Complex here on Friday.
The West Indies rode on skipper Shai Hope’s blistering 45-ball century and Sherfane Rutherford’s explosive 84 off 37 deliveries to pull off a six-wicket victory, completing the second-highest successful run chase in men’s T20I cricket with two overs to spare.
“Honestly speaking, you cannot put a number to it, because when the dew factor comes in, it plays a massive role. And even 249 was chased in, like, with two overs to spare. So you cannot give a number, or probably anticipate that, okay, this is the number we would be trying to score,” Iyer said after the match.
Reflecting on the West Indies’ remarkable batting display, Iyer acknowledged that the margin for error was minimal on a batting-friendly surface, where even slight lapses in execution proved costly.
“The margin of error on this wicket is very minor, and any delivery, if you miss it, if you miss to execute it, it was going onto the stands, and you could see how exceptional they were batting. So, a few missed chances here and there, but that’s part and parcel of the game. But credit where it’s due, they batted amazingly, and yeah, kudos to them,” he said.
India had appeared to seize control after Mayank Yadav struck three times in the powerplay, dismissing Kamil Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell to leave the visitors under pressure. However, Hope and Rutherford counterattacked with a 120-run fourth-wicket partnership that shifted the momentum decisively towards the West Indies.
Iyer praised Mayank’s impact with the ball and the contributions of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, highlighting the importance of their performances in setting the tone for the team.
“Both were phenomenal in their departments, and this is what we look for now and then from Sanju and Abhishek. The way they’ve been performing consistently throughout, taking that responsibility and setting the pace for us — exceptional performances by them, and also Mayank,” he said.
“Those three crucial wickets, it was something that stabilized the rhythm for us up ahead, but then after that the partnership came in, and the momentum shifted towards them,” the India captain added.
Earlier, Samson had helped guide India to 249/5 with a brutal 82 off 41, while Iyer hit 40 off 18 balls and Tilak Varma was unbeaten on 44 off 18 balls.
However, Hope’s century off 45 balls and Rutherford’s 84 ensured the West Indies completed the chase at 252/4, sealing a memorable victory despite India’s strong start with both bat and ball.
–IANS
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