NEW DELHI: India’s batting firepower was on full display in Ranchi on Friday as Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma powered the hosts to their highest-ever T20I total against West Indies, piling up a staggering 249/5 in the second match of the five-game series.Samson led the charge with a blistering 41-ball 82, while Ishan Kishan smashed 43 off 22 deliveries, Iyer contributed a fluent 40 off 18 balls and Tilak remained unbeaten on 44 off just 18 balls. The combined assault left West Indies facing a daunting target of 250 at the JSCA International Stadium.The total surpassed India’s previous highest T20I score against West Indies — 244/4 at Lauderhill in 2016, when India eventually lost a last-ball thriller by just one run. India had also posted 240/3 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium in 2019 and 209/4 in Hyderabad that same year.200-plus T20I totals for India vs West Indies
- 249/5 – Ranchi, 2026
- 244/4 – Lauderhill, 2016
- 240/3 – Mumbai WS, 2019
- 209/4 – Hyderabad, 2019
Samson sets the tone, Iyer and Tilak turn on the heat
After managing only 11 in the series opener in Lucknow, Samson responded emphatically, bringing up his half-century in just 21 balls to match Virat Kohli’s record for the joint-fastest fifty by an Indian against West Indies in T20Is.The wicketkeeper-batter rode his luck after being dropped twice, but made the opposition pay with a devastating display of power-hitting. His 82 came off 41 deliveries and included nine fours and four sixes, giving India the early momentum they needed.Samson and Abhishek Sharma added 42 runs in four overs for the opening wicket, with Abhishek contributing 20 off 12 balls. Ishan then kept the scoring rate high, striking 43 off 22 deliveries in what was effectively a home outing for the Jharkhand-born batter.Iyer continued his fine touch with a smooth 18-ball 40 before Tilak stole the spotlight in the closing overs. His unbeaten 44 off 18 balls ensured India finished with a flourish, turning an already imposing total into a formidable one.India’s powerplay score of 79/1 was also their highest against West Indies in T20Is, surpassing the previous mark of 72 without loss at Wankhede in 2019.
Roston Chase stands out amid West Indies’ expensive night
While the West Indies attack struggled to contain India’s batters, Roston Chase emerged as the standout bowler, returning figures of 3/24 in four overs. In an innings that yielded 249 runs, Chase conceded just six runs per over and claimed three of India’s five wickets.His disciplined bowling contrasted sharply with the way others struggled with their lines and lengths, allowing the Indian batters to exploit loose deliveries and punish mistakes.The onslaught also underlined India’s extraordinary six-hitting form in 2026. The side had already struck more than 300 sixes in T20Is this calendar year, surpassing its previous record of 289 in 2022. No other full-member side had crossed 250 sixes in a calendar year.Abhishek Sharma has contributed significantly to that surge, hitting 63 sixes in T20Is in 2026, second only to Suryakumar Yadav’s 68 in 2022 among full-member players in a calendar year. Ishan Kishan has also cleared the ropes 51 times this year.With a target of 250 to chase, West Indies needed an extraordinary response to stay alive in the match and level the series.
- Brief score: India 249/5 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 82, Ishan Kishan 43, Shreyas Iyer 40, Tilak Varma 44 not out; Roston Chase 3/24).
