West Indies pulled off a record chase, beating India by six wickets in Ranchi on Friday. Hope’s 102 off 45 balls, the first of his career, stole the spotlight and saw the hosts reach the target with nine balls to spare.
The turning point came after a shaky start: Mayank Yadav struck two quick runs, and Rovman Powell was out for 14 in the sixth over. Hope and Rutherford, however, unleashed a 120‑run stand for the fourth wicket, Rutherford smashing 84 off 37, while Hope remained unbeaten on 102. 20 sixes and 21 fours powered the chase, with 204 runs coming through boundaries alone.
India’s innings had been built on a 82‑run knock by Sanju Samson and quickfire bursts from Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma, ending 249/5. The West Indies, though, turned the powerplay into a pressure cooker, capturing three wickets for 23 runs before the middle overs. Roston Chase’s two successive wickets broke the partnership, but Hope’s steady bat kept the momentum.
The victory leaves the series level at 1‑1, and India will host the West Indies for the third match in Delhi next week. The match will decide the winner of the T20I series and set the tone for the remaining fixtures.