98 Sechser in 918 Bälle: Wie Indien-Wi die T20I-Serie mit den schnellsten Torschlägen aller Zeiten wurde

In a record-breaking T20I series between India and the West Indies, both teams combined to hit 98 sixes in just 918 balls. This translates to a six being struck approximately every 9.3 deliveries, setting a new benchmark for power-hitting in the shortest format of cricket. Played across four venues, Lucknow, Ranchi, Indore, and Hyderabad, the series saw both sides break numerous records, including becoming the first two teams to surpass 2000 sixes in T20I history. The series concluded with the teams tied at 2-2 heading into the fifth and final match in Bengaluru. The series began with the West Indies posting a high score of 252 in Ranchi, the highest chase against India at home. They followed it up with a massive 247 in Hyderabad, the highest first innings score against India in the country. India responded with aggressive batting, achieving a strike rate of 184.94, slightly higher than the West Indies' 179.83. Both teams scored over 800 runs in four matches, with the West Indies hitting 57 sixes compared to India's 41. Despite facing more dot balls (153), the West Indies managed to outscore India. The series highlighted the dominance of flat pitches in India, particularly in the context of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which has standardised conditions for white-ball cricket. Bowling strategies were largely ineffective, with even experienced spinners finding it difficult to contain the opposition. Roston Chase, a West Indies finger-spinner, stood out with six wickets in four matches, being the only bowler to maintain an economy rate above 10 in each of his spells. Former India spinner R Ashwin criticized the team management for omitting Kuldeep Yadav from the playing XI in the latter part of the series. Kuldeep had taken 2/33 in the opening match but conceded 53 runs in the second game, which India lost. Ashwin argued that excluding Kuldeep lacked common sense, especially considering the West Indies' struggles against his variations. He suggested that Kuldeep's inclusion might have restricted the West Indies' total by 15-20 runs. While acknowledging the difficulty of bowling on smaller grounds like Indore, Ashwin maintained that the decision to exclude Kuldeep should not be linked to India's loss in Ranchi. The series ended level, with the fifth match scheduled for Bengaluru.