IND vs WI 4th T20I Preview: India target series win in another potential run-fest

India and the West Indies have reached the business end of their white-ball series, with the hosts leading the five T20Is 2-1. Hyderabad will host the fourth match on Wednesday evening (Oct 14), another potential run-fest. The three concluded matches have favoured batters throughout, with the visitors completing their highest T20I run chase against India in India in the second T20I in Ranchi. Shreyas Iyer’s Indian team won the first and third T20Is, and now aim to clinch the series win in the fourth. Here is the match preview.

Match Preview

India have all bases covered for the crucial fixture in Hyderabad. While their top order continues to dictate terms at the start of each game, with either of the two openers (Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma) and Ishan Kishan coming off well with the bat, Shreyas Iyer holds the key in the middle overs.

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In the third T20I in Indore, Tilak Varma impressed with his 28, with Naman Dhir, Nitish Reddy and Axar Patel also chipping in with useful runs.

Bowling, however, has improved leaps and bounds since losing the second T20I, with the two frontline seamers, Arshdeep Singh and Mayank Yadav, delivering at the start and in death. Dhir’s handy spell with the ball has also proved vital for India, as Iyer is likely to back the Punjab all-rounder in the final two matches.

Team India is unlikely to change their playing XI.

West Indies, on the other hand, must improve their bowling to push the series till the final T20I in Bengaluru. While batting remains their strongest department, with top-order success crucial to their chances in Hyderabad, where square boundaries are relatively bigger, the visitors will back their spin-bowling all-rounder, Roston Chase, to make inroads during the middle overs, as he has done so far in this series.

Moreover, Shamar Joseph hasn’t clicked with the new ball yet, with Hyderabad providing the right conditions to turn things around.

Predicted Playing XIs –

India - Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Nitish Reddy, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav and Mayank Yadav

West Indies - Shai Hope (c & wk), Kamil Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Quentin Sampson, Keemo Paul, Shamar Springer, Roston Chase, Shamar Joseph and Gudakesh Motie