West Indies chased a daunting 352 in a rain‑shaded match at Chandigarh, sealing victory by 5 wickets with Shai Hope’s blistering 162* off 143 balls. The innings was a textbook chase, 10 balls remaining and 5 wickets in hand, turning the game into a one‑liner for India.
Hope’s run rate of 6.71 overs, 3.8 runs per over, was a constant threat from the start. After a shaky opening partnership of 32/2, the West Indies hammered 33 runs in the 20th over, putting India in a precarious position. The turning point came when Jayden Seales breached Virat Kohli’s defence immediately after removing Shubman Gill, lifting the West Indies to 175/6.
India’s innings stalled after the 32/2 start; Rohit Kohli’s 92 off 85 steadied the chase but could not stop the tide. The West Indies’ acceleration in the middle overs, coupled with Hope’s calm, dismantled India’s plans. Meanwhile, India is now scrambling to find a backup pace attack to complement Jasprit Bumrah, as the selectors eye a core group for the South Africa World Cup.
India must regroup ahead of the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, while West Indies will look to build on this confidence ahead of the World Cup.