The high-scoring T20I series between India and West Indies ended in a 2-2 draw after the fifth and final match was abandoned due to rain at Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday (October 17).
The fixture was reduced to nine overs per side because of persistent downpour. India, who were asked to bat first, blasted 118/5 in 7.4 overs at a run rate of over 15 before the rain returned to permanently halt the match. Since the visitors did not get to bat the minimum required 5 overs, the game was declared a No Result.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, India skipper Shreyas Iyer pointed out that the hosts could have won the series outright if the bowlers had executed their plans better during the second and fourth games.
He also gave credit to his Caribbean counterpart Shai Hope, who had exceptional series with the bat. Hope amassed 261 runs in four T20I innings on the tour of India with two centuries, and deservedly earned the Player of the Series accolade.
“Well, it could have definitely been different, considering if we had bowled well in the second and the fourth game. Obviously, batting has been sensational throughout. It's just about that execution, which we were falling short, especially our bowlers were taking the ball. And also, you know, credit where it's due. They batted phenomenally well, and also Shai Hope, brilliant performance by him, the way he was cruising through in the series. It was difficult at times, but kudos to him,” Iyer said.
On the positive side, Shreyas Iyer commended the Indian batters' intent even when chasing mammoth totals. He also shifted focus to India's upcoming tour of New Zealand, which he acknowledged will be a highly challenging series.
“I think the ability to bounce back, even after a loss. We had this mindset that we want to get and play aggressive cricket and see to it that we are at top of our game. And we replicated in some instances, but we weren't able to repeat it and be consistent throughout. But it's a great learning and a lot of positives as well. Even today, the way we, you know, went about our batting, it was outstanding, and I hope that we keep repeating well, and it is going to be a challenging series in New Zealand now,” he remarked.
Iyer addressed the team's ability to handle demanding travel schedules and maintain their training and recovery routines smoothly as they prepared to head straight into an extensive all-format tour of New Zealand, starting with the five-match T20 series on October 22 in Christchurch.
“Yes, it's just like another day. We've been used to it, even constantly travelling in India. It's definitely not easy to recover and see to it that your routines are intact. But honestly speaking, we've been doing that pretty well, and we are adjusting to the conditions pretty fast. So as long as we are maintaining this consistently, it's good for the team,” he concluded.
