Friday night at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi produced the kind of cricket match that fans will talk about for years. Two teams, 501 runs, and a finish that rewrote the record books. West Indies chased down 250 to beat India by six wickets in the second T20I, pulling off the second highest successful run chase in the history of men’s T20 international cricket and levelling the five match series 1-1.
At one point, this looked like India’s night. At another, it seemed like no chase of this size could ever be completed. By the end, the Ranchi crowd was on its feet applauding both teams, even though only one of them walked away with the win.
Samson silences the doubters in style
Sanju Samson arrived in Ranchi under pressure. After managing only 11 in the series opener in Lucknow, the questions were getting louder. The Kerala wicketkeeper batter answered in the most emphatic way possible.
Samson tore into the West Indies attack from the first over, racing to a 21-ball half century that equalled Virat Kohli’s record for the fastest T20I fifty by an Indian against the West Indies. Kohli had set that mark at the Wankhede Stadium back in 2019, and Samson now shares it. He went on to make 82 from just 41 balls, striking nine fours and four sixes, and received a standing ovation when he finally departed.
The early assault was matched by India’s powerplay start of 79 for 1, their best ever against West Indies in the format. Abhishek Sharma’s quick 20 got the momentum going, and Ishan Kishan entertained his home crowd with 43 from 22 balls. Samson fell in the 15th over, but Shreyas Iyer’s 40 off 18 and Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 44 off 18, including an 83-run stand in just 32 deliveries, dragged India to a massive 249 for 5. Only Roston Chase, with 3 for 24, emerged with any real credit for the visitors.
249 for 5. On most nights, that wins you a T20I by a comfortable margin. This was not most nights.
Mayank’s hat-trick, then the twist
Chasing 250 should have been mission impossible, and for a few overs it looked that way. Mayank Yadav produced the spell of the night, ripping through the West Indies top order with a hat-trick in the powerplay. Kamil Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell fell in a devastating burst that left the visitors reeling at 44 for 3.
Yadav clocked speeds touching 149.5 kph and finished with 3 for 36, bowling that felt genuinely hostile under the Ranchi lights. India were celebrating, the required rate was climbing, and the game looked done.
But cricket had other ideas. A dropped catch off Shai Hope’s bat, when he was still finding his feet, would come back to haunt India. In a chase of this magnitude, you do not get second chances like that, and Hope made sure his life counted.
Hope and Rutherford script history
What followed was one of the great T20I partnerships under pressure. Hope and Sherfane Rutherford added 120 runs in just 54 balls, treating a target that had looked absurd as if it were entirely routine.
Rutherford’s 84 off 37 balls gave the chase its first genuine belief, and Hope’s unbeaten 102 from 45 deliveries provided the finishing touch, a hundred built on clean striking and ice cold composure. When Romario Shepherd smashed an unbeaten 34 from 13 balls at the death, West Indies sealed it with nine balls to spare, closing on 252 for 4 in 18.3 overs.
The numbers tell their own story. This was the second highest successful chase ever in men’s T20I cricket, behind only South Africa’s 259 against West Indies at Centurion in 2023, and the highest chase ever completed by West Indies in the format. The visitors even had West Indies captain Shai Hope choosing to bowl first at the toss, a decision that looked inspired by the end of the evening.
What it means for the series
India took the opener in Lucknow, so the series now stands locked at 1-1 with three matches still to play. Both sides have now produced statements of intent, India with the bat first, West Indies with a chase for the ages.
For India, the concern is clear. Scoring 249 and losing will sting, and the dropped catch at a crucial moment turned the night. For West Indies, the belief this win brings could make the rest of the series genuinely unpredictable.
The caravan now moves on with everything to play for. If the first two matches are anything to go by, buckle up.
FAQs
What was the result of the 2nd T20I between India and West Indies?
West Indies beat India by six wickets at Ranchi, chasing 250 in 18.3 overs to finish on 252 for 4.
Is this the highest successful T20I run chase ever?
It is the second highest in men’s T20I history. South Africa’s 259 against West Indies at Centurion in 2023 remains the record.
What records did Sanju Samson equal?
His 21-ball fifty equalled Virat Kohli’s record for the fastest T20I fifty by an Indian against West Indies. He also matched Yuvraj Singh’s tally of five T20I half centuries scored at a strike rate of 200 or above.
Who took a hat-trick in the match?
India’s Mayank Yadav claimed a powerplay hat-trick, dismissing Kamil Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell, and finished with 3 for 36.
What is the state of the series?
The five match series is level at 1-1 after two games, with India having won the Lucknow opener.
That is all from this weekend’s action. The series heads into its business end with momentum swinging wildly, and we will be watching every ball.
