From 0-2 down, India drew level in the five-match T20I series with a nine-wicket thrashing of West Indies in the fourth game in Florida on Saturday (August 12).
Opting to bat first, West Indies posted 178/8 in their allotted 20 overs on the back of Shimron Hetmyer’s 39-ball 61.
In reply, the duo of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill took the Caribbean attack to the cleaners. They shared a record 165-run partnership for the opening wicket to put India on the brink of victory.
While Gill got out after scoring 77 in 47 balls, Jaiswal held the one end and stayed unbeaten on 84 from 51 balls to take the visitors over the line alongside Tilak Varma (7*).
Speaking after the game, India skipper Hardik Pandya was full of praise for Jaiswal and Gill’s brilliance with the bat.
“There is no doubt in their (Gill and Jaiswal) skill set. Going forward, we'll have to take responsibility as a batting group and help out our bowlers. Bowlers win matches. If they can get you a couple of wickets, you can control the game. Shubman and Yashasvi were brilliant. The way they ran in this heat ... and ... making sure they finished the job, it was very pleasing to see,” Hardik said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
Talking about his captaincy, Hardik said: “I like to captain how I see the game. I like to go with my instincts. We lost two games but the first game, it was our own error, we were cruising quite well, we messed it up in the last four overs and didn't cross the line. We didn't do much different in the next two games. All these games gives us a lot of confidence. We had to pull up our socks and play good cricket, that's exactly what the boys did.”
Hardik also acknowledged the support his team got in Florida. “There are more Indians here. The way they have been supporting, they've been coming in numbers, they make sure that we give them some entertainment.”
The series-deciding fifth T20I will also be played in Lauderhill, Florida on Sunday (August 13).
“In T20 cricket, no one's favourite. You have to turn up and play good cricket. You got to respect the opposition. They were 2-0 up because they played better cricket than us. Tomorrow we turn up and do exactly what we did today and hope for the best,” Hardik concluded.
