India answer the Ranchi setback
India defeated West Indies by 14 runs in the third T20I at Indore, taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match series after the visitors had levelled the contest in Ranchi. The hosts were dismissed for 223 and then restricted West Indies to 209, producing a more disciplined bowling finish than they managed in the previous run-heavy game.
Abhishek Sharma drove the innings with 69 from 30 balls, striking five fours and six sixes. His acceleration gave India the freedom to attack early despite losing Sanju Samson cheaply. Ishan Kishan contributed 37, and their second-wicket partnership added 108 runs in only 40 deliveries.
The victory was not a smooth progression from start to finish. India moved from 115 for one to being bowled out, with risky running and poor communication interrupting the middle overs. Tilak Varma made 28 before a costly run-out, and the innings required late contributions to reach a total that was strong without being beyond West Indies' range.
Abhishek Sharma controls the powerplay
Abhishek's innings changed the tempo of the match. He attacked length quickly, used the short boundaries and forced the bowlers to alter their plans before settling. The six-hitting was important, but so was his ability to keep the scoreboard moving between the major shots.
Kishan's role in the partnership gave India a second source of pressure. West Indies could not concentrate only on defending one end, and the pair reached a scoring rate that suggested a total well above 230. Their stand established the eventual winning margin even though later batters could not fully preserve the momentum.
Roston Chase returned two wickets for 38 and helped slow the innings. Shamar Joseph and Shamar Springer also took two wickets each. The visitors' comeback with the ball showed that they remained competitive after the opening assault, turning what could have been a decisive first-innings collapse into a chaseable target.
Arshdeep Singh closes the door
West Indies again carried dangerous power through the middle order. Kamil Pooran scored 42 and Shimron Hetmyer made 43, giving the chase enough speed to keep India under pressure. Sherfane Rutherford added 32, and the visitors entered the closing stages with the capacity to repeat their Ranchi success.
Arshdeep Singh delivered the decisive response. He took three wickets, including captain Shai Hope, and returned late to remove Rutherford and Keemo Paul when the chase still had a path. His ability to change pace and execute under pressure separated India's finish from the previous match.
Naman Dhir also made a major impact by dismissing Pooran and Hetmyer as the pair threatened to take control. Those wickets prevented the chase from consolidating around two set hitters. Axar Patel and Nitish Kumar Reddy added one wicket each, giving the attack contributions across different phases.
What the 2-1 lead reveals
India's win showed both the promise and the instability of its aggressive approach. The top order can create extraordinary scoring bursts, but the middle overs exposed avoidable errors. A stronger side would have converted 115 for one into a cleaner finish rather than losing all ten wickets.
The bowling response was more encouraging because it came after a difficult outing. Arshdeep accepted responsibility at the most demanding stage, while Dhir removed two of the most dangerous batters. Defending 223 in a high-scoring venue required calm as much as pace variation.
West Indies remain a serious threat. They reached 209 despite losing Hope early and showed enough boundary power to keep the series competitive. Their bowlers' recovery also provides a template for the remaining matches: survive the opening surge, attack India's uncertain middle phase and retain wickets for the chase.
With two games remaining, India hold the advantage but have not solved every problem. The third T20I belonged to Abhishek's fearless start and Arshdeep's controlled finish. The space between those performances contains the mistakes the hosts must correct if they want to turn a 2-1 lead into a series victory.
Selection choices will remain part of the discussion. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Prince Yadav entered the side for this match, and both were asked to contribute in a contest where margins tightened late. India now have to decide whether continuity is more valuable than another adjustment as they prepare for the fourth T20I.
The result also shows why a defended total can reveal more than another batting record. After conceding 252 in Ranchi, the attack needed evidence that it could protect a score when powerful hitters stayed within range. Arshdeep and Dhir supplied that proof without disguising the work still required.
PUBLISHED BY SUYASH PACHAURI, FOUNDER & OWNER, GLOBAL BOLLYWOOD | THE HOLLYWOOD SCOPE