Rain-Abandoned Fifth T20I Leaves India vs West Indies Series Tied 2-2
West Indies’ five-match T20I series against India ended in a 2-2 draw after the fifth and final match in Bengaluru was abandoned due to rain on Sunday. The result capped a seesawing contest that produced 501 runs in Ranchi, a four-for by Keemo Paul, and two centuries from Shai Hope.
How the series swung back and forth
India raced out of the blocks, but West Indies levelled things quickly. The hosts were 1-0 down after losing the opening T20I, then won the second game in Ranchi by six wickets — their 11-match winning streak ending there. That match also set a new benchmark: Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford powered West Indies to their highest successful run chase in T20 internationals, with 501 runs produced across both innings combined.
India then took the 2-1 lead by winning the third T20I by 14 runs, leaving Shreyas Iyer’s side needing one more win to clinch the series. West Indies had other ideas. In the fourth T20I in Hyderabad, Hope struck his second ton of the series and Keemo Paul took five wickets, setting up a 24-run win that forced a decider in Bengaluru.
What the rain did in Bengaluru
The fifth T20I turned into a nine-over thriller with no conclusion. Explosive batting from Ishan Kishan and Naman Dhir kept the crowd engaged, but persistent rain meant play could not resume after the interruption. With no play possible and no reserve day in place, the match was officially abandoned, and the series stood at 2-2.
That leaves both teams with a mixed scoreboard. West Indies showed they could chase down anything — their 501-run second T20I effort against India’s total and the 352-run ODI chase where Hope batted through cramps both underlined it. India, meanwhile, won the series’ turning point matches but could not convert dominance into an overall 3-2 finish.
Who stood out in the series
Shai Hope was the standout batter on either side. His century in the second T20I helped West Indies pull level, his 24-run-match-winning ton in Hyderabad kept the series alive, and in the ODI leg earlier in the tour he scored through cramp to chase down India’s 352 in the third and final ODI. India’s reply came in the T20Is: Ishan Kishan’s explosive knock in the rain-hit decider and Naman Dhir’s cameo kept the hosts competitive until the weather called time.
India’s XI selections also drew attention. Shreyas Iyer led the T20I side, and the team’s struggles to defend totals — the second T20I and the third ODI both saw India post big scores and lose — renewed debate around their bowling depth in the format, a conversation the Indian Express flagged after the Ranchi result.
What happens next
The two sides now part ways on level terms, with the series ending without a winner for the first time in this fixture’s recent history. West Indies head into their Bangladesh tour, where they are eyeing a rare series win against a Bangladesh side searching for answers. For India, the focus shifts to the next assignment on the calendar, with the rain-abandoned decider in Bengaluru the last word on this series.
Based on reports from
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