3 memorable T20I batting performances by Indians against West Indies

Having clinched the one-day series with ease, Team India will take on West Indies in three T20I matches from February 16 to 20. All the games will be played at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. India and West Indies have so far faced each other in 17 T20Is, of which the Men in Blue have won 10 and the Windies 6. One match did not produce a result.

The hosts will go into the series high on confidence, having thumped the visitors 3-0 in the ODI series. India also have an impressive T20 record against the Caribbean side at home. They have won five and lost only two of seven matches, although one of the defeats came in the 2016 World Cup semi-final in Mumbai. The two sides last met in a T20I in December 2019, with Team India emerging victorious by 67 runs.

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IND vs WI 2022: Impressive T20I batting efforts by Indians vs West Indies

With the Men in Blue gearing up for the T20I series, we look back at three memorable efforts by Team India batters against the Windies.

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#3 KL Rahul (110* off 51) - Lauderhill, August 2016

Team India’s white-ball vice-captain KL Rahul. Pic: Getty Images

KL Rahul smashed a sensational 110* off 51 balls in Lauderhill in the 1st T20I of the two-match series in August 2016. However, the innings, which featured 12 fours and 5 sixes, went in vain as India fell short by one run in a chase of 246. West Indies had cracked 245 for 6 batting first as Even Lewis clobbered 100 in 49 balls.

In response, coming into bat at No. 4, Rahul raced away to 25 in 12 deliveries. He whacked Sunil Narine for two fours and launched a six over mid-off as 16 came off the sixth over. Rahul kept finding the boundaries at will and eased to his fifty off 26 balls by slapping Kieron Pollard over backward point for four.

Even as Rohit Sharma was dismissed for 62 at the other end, Rahul kept the fight alive for Team India. When Narine was reintroduced in the 14th over, the batter again clubbed him for two boundaries and a six. With MS Dhoni also throwing his bat around, India put themselves in a genuine position to push for victory.

Rahul brought up his century off 46 balls in some style, carving Andre Russell over the infield for a maximum. The equation came down to eight off the last over but ‘Champion’ Dwayne Bravo bowled superbly and India could only score six. Dhoni was caught off the last ball as Rahul’s brilliance couldn’t take India over the line.

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#2 Rohit Sharma (111* off 61) - Lucknow, November 2018

Rohit Sharma in a T20I against West Indies. Pic: Getty Images

Leading the team, Rohit Sharma hit an elegant 111* off 61 deliveries in Lucknow in the 2nd T20I of the three-match series in November 2018. The Windies sent the hosts into bat after winning the toss. Rohit led India’s charge, striking eight fours and seven sixes as the Men in Blue put up an impressive 195 for 2.

Rohit slammed Oshane Thomas and Khary Pierre for sixes in consecutive overs as India reached 49 for no loss after six overs. He brought up a fifty off 38 balls with a couple off Keemo Paul. In the next over bowled by Fabian Allen, the 14th of the innings, Rohit swung his bat hard and picked up consecutive sixes.

The skipper got to a 58-ball hundred by whacking Carlos Brathwaite for back-to-back fours in the last over and then dispatched the penultimate ball of the innings over long-off for a maximum.

Chasing 196, West Indies were never in the hunt. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Jasprit Bumrah and Jasprit Bumrah all claimed two wickets each as the visitors ended up on 124 for 9.

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#1 Virat Kohli (94* off 50) - Hyderabad, December 2019

Virat Kohli batting in an ODI against West Indies. Pic: Getty Images

At the peak of his batting powers, Virat Kohli slashed an unbeaten 94 off 50 in Hyderabad in the 1st T20I of the three-match in December 2019. India were set to chase a challenging 208 after winning the toss and bowling first. Kohli, though, displayed sublime form, guiding India to a six-wicket victory in 18.4 overs.

Captaining the team, he slammed six fours and as many sixes to put West Indies bowlers on the backfoot. Kohli set his innings into motion with two smartly timed boundaries off Hayden Walsh. In the 12th over bowled by Jason Holder, he top-edged a six over fine leg and whipped a waist-high full toss for a boundary past deep backward square leg.

Kohli reached his fifty off 35 balls by chipping Holder for a six over long-off. He then thumped Kesrick Williams for a four and six in the next over. Even as a couple of wickets fell at the other end, the captain lifted India to victory by whacking the same pacer for two sixes in the penultimate over.

Kohli’s 94* in this game remains his career-best T20I score.