3 memorable T20I bowling performances by Indians against West Indies

Following a clinical performance in the ODI series, Team India will now take on West Indies in a three-match T20I rubber, which will be played at Eden Gardens in Kolkata from February 16 to 20. The hosts will go into the series having the upper hand, with form and history both favoring them.

India and the West Indies have faced each other in 17 T20Is so far, with the Men in Blue winning 10 and the Windies six. One match did not produce any results. The last time the two teams met in a T20I, in December 2019 in Mumbai, India registered a 67-run triumph.

One cause of concern for the hosts is the injury factor. KL Rahul, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar will be unavailable for the T20I series. Having said that, the likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravi Bishnoi could get a golden opportunity to make a mark.

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IND vs WI 2022: Impressive T20I bowling efforts by India vs West Indies

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

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#3 Kuldeep Yadav 3/13 - Kolkata, November 2018

Team India left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav (right). Pic: Getty Images

Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav was brilliant with figures of 3 for 13 in a T20I in November 2018. In the first match of the three-match series, India fielded first after winning the toss and Kuldeep’s spell played a major role in restricting West Indies to 109 for 8. After the pacers reduced the visitors to 47 for 4, the left-arm spinner ran through the lower order.

Darren Bravo (5) tried to take on Kuldeep but was beaten by the turn and dip and ended up toe-ending his stroke to long-on. Rovman Powell (4) was foxed by a googly and nicked the delivery behind the stumps. West Indies skipper Carlos Brathwaite (4) was then completely beaten by the spinner’s guile and was trapped plumb in front of the stumps.

Brathwaite’s dismissal left the visitors reeling at 63 for 7. They pushed themselves past the 100-run mark. India themselves stumbled in the chase of 110, losing five wickets. However, Dinesh Karthik (31*) and Krunal Pandya (21*) took them home in 17.5 overs.

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#2 Navdeep Saini 3/17 - Lauderhill, August 2019

Navdeep Saini celebrates a wicket with teammates. Pic: Getty Images

Pacer Navdeep Saini made a memorable T20I debut, claiming 3 for 17 against the West Indies at Lauderhill in August 2019. In the first game of the three-match series, India won the toss and elected to field first. After the Windies lost their openers early, Nicholas Pooran began counter-attacking and put Team India under some pressure. However, Saini’s scuttled the batting unit’s fightback.

The debutant ended Pooran’s innings on 20 as the left-hander top-edged a short of a length delivery at off stump. On the very next delivery, he sent back Shimron Hetmyer (0), who was too early into his jab against a short ball and only managed to drag the ball back onto the stumps. Saini returned towards the end of the innings to dismiss Kieron Pollard for 49. The well-set batter missed his slog across the line and was trapped in front of the stumps.

Saini’s brilliance on debut restricted the West Indies to 95 for 9. India did not have it easy in the chase as they lost six wickets. Sheldon Cottrell, Sunil Narine and Keemo Paul all claimed two wickets each. However, the Men in Blue managed to sneak over the line in 17.2 overs.

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#1 Deepak Chahar 3/4 - Providence, August 2019

Team India pacer Deepak Chahar. Pic: Getty Images

Team India pacer Deepak Chahar registered sensational figures of 3 for 4 in a T20I in Guyana in August 2019. The visitors won the toss and decided to field first in the third game of the three-match series. Chahar, who was recently in the news for bagging a whopping IPL contract of ₹14 crore from Chennai Super Kings (CSK), dismissed the West Indies top three inside four overs.

Sunil Narine (2) tried to slog the accurate pacer, but only managed to drag the ball to mid-on. Evin Lewis (10) was then trapped lbw by one that pitched on off and jagged back in sharply. The opener was beaten and struck on the front pad's knee roll. He went for a review only to see the dreaded three reds. Chahar also caught Shimron Hetmyer (1) in front of the stumps in similar fashion. The southpaw was beaten by the clever movement and had to walk back.

Chahar’s genius left the hosts in massive trouble at 14 for 3. Kieron Pollard (58) and Rovman Powell (32*) lifted them to a respectable 146 for 6. However, India eased to victory in 19.1 overs, with seven wickets in hand, as Rishabh Pant scored an unbeaten 65 while Virat Kohli contributed 59.