Hope's Record-Breaking Hundred Powers West Indies to Second-Highest T20I Chase Ever in Ranchi

West Indies pulled off one of the great T20 international comebacks on Friday, hunting down a mammoth target of 250 to beat India by six wickets in the second T20I at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi. The victory levelled the five-match series at 1-1 and stands as the second-highest successful chase in men's T20I history, bettered only by South Africa's 259 against these same opponents in 2023. Captain Shai Hope was the architect, hammering an unbeaten 102 from just 45 deliveries — the fastest T20I hundred by a West Indian against India and the second-quickest ever by a Caribbean batter. Hope found a perfect partner in Sherfane Rutherford, whose explosive 84 off 37 balls featured seven fours and seven sixes as the pair shared a record 120-run stand for the fourth wicket. The chase had looked doomed when Mayank Yadav ripped through the top order, removing Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer in the opening over and later dismissing Rovman Powell for 24. But Hope and Rutherford's counter-attack, followed by Romario Shepherd's unbeaten 34 off 13, carried the visitors to 252/4 in 18.3 overs. Earlier, India had posted 249/5 after being asked to bat, built on Sanju Samson's blistering 82 off 41 balls plus quick-fire 40s from Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma. The teams meet again in the third T20I in Indore on Sunday.