Shai Hope’s 102 not out gave West Indies a platform of 247 for 3. India’s answer began at a sprint, but two wickets in the fifth over shifted the pressure. Paul finished with five wickets as the visitors won by 24 runs and levelled the series 2–2.
A hundred that kept moving
Hope did not simply anchor the innings. He kept scoring as the required rate climbed, reaching his hundred with consecutive sixes from the final two balls he faced. Sherfane Rutherford stayed with him through the closing overs, and their unbeaten stand helped turn a strong total into a daunting one.
India still came out hard. Sanju Samson made 56 from 23 balls and the hosts raced to 60 in the first four overs. For a moment, the chase looked set to match the asking rate.
One over changed the mood
Paul removed Samson and Ishan Kishan in the fifth. The innings lost its early certainty, and West Indies could defend the middle overs with wickets in hand. Paul returned to take three more, while Gudakesh Motie also struck twice in consecutive deliveries.
That is the useful detail behind the headline total: a big target does not decide a T20 chase by itself. The side defending it still has to find a moment when the scoring rate and the risk of losing wickets collide.
For fantasy-cricket fans, this was a reminder to look beyond the pre-match label of “batting-friendly”. Hope and Paul shaped the same match in different phases: one created the total, the other broke the chase. Role and opportunity mattered more than a single headline number. Our player-form guide looks at those factors, while the scoring primer explains how match events can feed into a fantasy total.