India edged back in front in the five-match T20I series against West Indies on Sunday night, beating the visitors by 14 runs at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. Abhishek Sharma's blistering 69 off 30 balls set up a total of 223, and Arshdeep Singh's three wickets made sure a fierce West Indies chase fell short at 209 for 7.
The win gives Shreyas Iyer's side a 2-1 lead with two matches left, after the teams had split the first two games in Lucknow and Ranchi.
Abhishek and Kishan's blitz
Sent in to bat after West Indies captain Shai Hope won the toss, India made the most of Indore's short boundaries. Abhishek and Ishan Kishan put on 108 for the second wicket in just 40 balls, with Abhishek smashing six sixes and five fours. At 115 for 1, a total well above 240 looked likely.
Then came the wobble. Roston Chase stumped Kishan for 37 off 18 balls and trapped skipper Iyer lbw, and Shamar Springer took a return catch to send back Abhishek. Two run-outs, Tilak Varma for 28 and Axar Patel for 20, made things worse. Nitish Kumar Reddy chipped in with 21 off 14 balls, but India were bowled out for 223 off the last ball of the innings, when Shamar Joseph bowled Mayank Yadav.
Springer and Joseph took two wickets each, while left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie reached 50 T20I wickets when he dismissed Naman Dhir.
Arshdeep strikes early and late
Defending 224, India needed an early breakthrough, and Arshdeep provided it by bowling Hope for 5 in the second over. West Indies kept swinging hard. Shimron Hetmyer hit 43 off 26 balls and Kamil Pooran added 42 off 27, keeping the asking rate within reach.
Naman Dhir turned the game in the middle overs, bowling Hetmyer and having Pooran caught in the deep to finish with 2 for 39. Sherfane Rutherford's 32 off 20 balls and a late assault from Springer, who smashed 35 off just 11 balls, made the finish nervy. But Arshdeep came back to remove Rutherford and Keemo Paul, ending with 3 for 44 and closing out the game.
| Match | India vs West Indies, 3rd T20I |
| Venue | Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore |
| Date | Sunday, October 11, 2026 |
| Toss | West Indies, chose to bowl |
| India | 223 all out (20 overs) |
| West Indies | 209/7 (20 overs) |
| Result | India won by 14 runs |
| Top scorer | Abhishek Sharma 69 (30 balls) |
| Best bowling | Arshdeep Singh 3/44 |
| Series | India lead 2-1 |
Hetmyer and Pooran's stand was the period when the match swung most towards the visitors, with the pair taking on India's spinners and keeping West Indies within touching distance. Breaking it, rather than any single over at the death, is what ultimately won India the game.
The talking points for India
The collapse. Losing nine wickets for 108 runs after a start of 115 for 1 is the one thing the team management will want to fix. Two run-outs and a clatter of wickets to spin showed that India's middle order is still finding its rhythm in this new-look side.
Abhishek's form. The left-hander has made the powerplay his own, and an innings like this on a flat Indore pitch is exactly what India want from the top of the order.
The bowling under pressure. Conceding 209 is not ideal, but on a ground where first-innings totals average around 200, the bowlers held their nerve. Arshdeep's ability to strike with the new ball and at the death was the difference, and Dhir's spin gave Iyer valuable control in the middle.
How the series has gone
- 1st T20I, Lucknow: India won by 8 wickets, with Iyer scoring his maiden T20I century.
- 2nd T20I, Ranchi: West Indies won by 6 wickets, chasing 250 thanks to Shai Hope's unbeaten 102.
- 3rd T20I, Indore: India won by 14 runs.
What's next
The teams now travel to Hyderabad for the fourth T20I on Wednesday, October 14. A win there would seal the series for India, while West Indies will need to win to take the decider to Bengaluru on October 17. For Hyderabad fans, a batting-friendly surface and two in-form top orders promise another high-scoring night.
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