IND vs WI 2023: 3 moments that created a buzz among fans in 3rd T20I
India finally bounced back in the five-match T20I series against the West Indies as they emerged victorious in the third T20I played in Guyana on Tuesday. It was almost a perfect game for the visitors as all their plans in batting and bowling seemed to work.
Hardik Pandya the captain was arguably more proactive as his bowling changes ensured he had the best possible match-ups available when Nicholas Pooran was new to the crease. This ensured that the hosts set a chasable target of 160.
The chase was all about Suryakumar Yadav as he showed why he is touted as arguably the best batter in T20s at the moment. Tilak Varma gave him great support and it was their partnership that set up a comfortable win for India.
On that note, let's take a look at three moments from the game that grabbed the attention of fans:
#3 No 30-yard circle
Umpires big Mistake.
West Indies 3rd T20, UMpIREs dint check on the 30yard marks around the pitch was not arranged delayed for the same.
Who’s Mistake?
#INDvsWI #T20Cricket @ICC @BCCI pic.twitter.com/aVR95hQflz
Arguably one of the most bizarre incidents ever seen on a cricket field, the 30-yard circle was missing when the two teams got onto the field at the beginning of the third T20I. It was later learned that the ground staff had forgotten to put the 30-yard circle markers.
This meant that there was a slight delay in the start of the match and fans found it embarrassing as it was baffling to see the standard at which international cricket was played in the Caribbean. Even veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin later tweeted why it was so difficult to tour the West Indies.
#2 Suryakumar Yadav's audacious shots
There's no stopping SKY when he gets going!🔥
#SuryakumarYadav
pic.twitter.com/OVeOiyisZN
Suryakumar Yadav was arguably a shadow of himself in the ODIs and also seemed a bit rusty in the first two T20Is. It was a bit unusual for fans as well to see SKY have back-to-back failures in a format where he has arguably been one of the best, if not the best.
However, one can say that normal service was resumed when Suryakumar smashed his first ball for a boundary and his second ball for a six. This made his intentions pretty clear and he looked to be back to his fluent best.
SKY scored 83 runs off just 44 balls and made an absolute mockery of the WI bowling line-up. Fans were thrilled to see Suryakumar find his mojo back in the format that arguably suits him the most.
#1 Hardik Pandya denying Tilak Varma's second T20I fifty
Tilak Varma needed one run to score his fifty and Hardik Pandya hit a six to win the game.
Your thoughts?🤔
#INDvsWI #WIvsIND
#TilakVarma #HardikPandya
pic.twitter.com/gBdIDjps3e
Tilak Varma has arguably enjoyed one of the best starts by an Indian player in his T20I career. Having already scored a fifty in the previous game, it seemed Tilak was set to get back-to-back half-centuries.
He played great second-fiddle to Suryakumar Yadav and then decided to up the ante once Hardik Pandya was at the crease. With two runs needed to win off 14 balls, Hardik smashed a six and finished the game for India. However, Tilak was stranded on 49* at the other end.
Fans were a bit disappointed with Hardik as they felt he should have taken a single and let Tilak score the winning runs as well as get to his half-century.