Suryakumar Yadav (65 in 31 balls), Venkatesh Iyer (35 in 19, 2-23) and Harshal Patel (3-22) helped India beat West Indies by 17 runs in the third T20I at the Eden Gardens on Sunday night to complete a 3-0 series whitewash. The Indian batters put on 184/5, and their bowlers backed up with a disciplined effort despite a sublime knock from Nicholas Pooran (61 off 47).
Batting first after losing the toss yet again, Suryakumar and Venkatesh helped India add 86 in the last five overs. It was an excellent display of counterattack that helped India recover from a mini middle-order collapse. From 93/4 in the 14th over, Suryakumar and Venkatesh added 91 in 37 balls for the fifth wicket. Suryakumar cruised to his fourth T20 fifty in just 27 balls, reaching the milestone with a massive inside-out six over cover off Romario Shepherd in the final over.
In response, West Indies lost wickets in regular intervals in their chase. Deepak Chahar bowled a brilliant opening spell to get rid of Kyle Mayers and Shai Hope. Chahar swung the ball both ways and changed his pace deftly to deceive both West Indies openers. Then he sustained an injury and limped off the field without completing an over.
Thereafter, Harshal stepped up, in an exhibition of well-disguised slower balls, to emerge as the wrecker-in-chief. Venkatesh, on the other hand, completed Chahar's quota and picked up two wickets.
Despite that, Pooran's power-hitting kept the West Indies in the hunt until the 18th over. Then Shardul Thakur claimed Pooran to swing the match in India's favour. Thanks to a brilliant exhibition of death-bowling from Thakur and Harshal, West Indies could only manage 42/3 in their last five overs.
India 184/5 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 65; Roston Chase 1-23) beat West Indies 167/9 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 61; Harshal Patel 3-22) by 17 runs. Player of the match: Suryakumar Yadav.
India won the series 3-0. Player of the Series: Suryakumar Yadav.