Hope's Record 102* Powers West Indies to Stunning 250 Chase in Ranchi

West Indies captain Shai Hope produced one of the great T20 international innings on Friday, smashing an unbeaten 102 from 45 balls to chase down 250 against India in Ranchi and level the five-match series at 1-1. The visitors' 252 for 4 is their highest successful chase in men's T20 internationals and the second-highest in the format's history, behind only South Africa's 259 against the same opposition in 2023. Chasing a mountain, West Indies were wobbling when Mayank Yadav removed Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer in the opening over. But Hope and Sherfane Rutherford turned the game on its head with a ferocious 120-run fourth-wicket stand. Rutherford, reprieved on 38 when Mayank spilled a catch at short fine leg, hammered 84 off 37 balls before falling, leaving Hope and Romario Shepherd to finish the job with nine balls to spare. Hope's 45-ball century equalled the fastest T20I hundred against India and was the second-fastest by a West Indian, surpassing Chris Gayle's famous 47-ball effort. He finished the match in style, launching Axar Patel for six. India's 249 for 5 had been built on Sanju Samson's 41-ball 82 and brisk thirties from Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma, with Roston Chase taking 3 for 24. The combined 501 runs is the second-highest match aggregate in men's T20I history. The series moves to Indore on Sunday.