India Vs West Indies 5th T20I LIVE Score: Shai Hope Wins Toss, Opts To Field

PITCH REPORT – Ian Bishop expects there to be some moisture in the surface after all the rain and time spent under covers. However, the pitch looks good on top. Ian believes that the pitch could be on the slower side, and there could be some lateral movement on offer for the seamers.

West Indies (Unchanged XI) – Shai Hope (C/WK), Jewel Andrew, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Keemo Paul, Roston Chase, Shamar Springer, Shamar Joseph, and Gudakesh Motie.

India (Playing XI) – Sanju Samson (WK), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (C), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube (In for Nitish Kumar Reddy), Naman Dhir, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (In for Mayank Yadav), Prince Yadav, and Arshdeep Singh.

The captain of India – Shreyas Iyer says he would have bowled first as well. Shares that they weren’t expecting to get a game in given the rain, and credits the excellent drainage system for the quick turnaround. He feels the pitch looks pretty good and says the team will have to be aggressive without crumbling under pressure. He acknowledges that West Indies have a wide array of shots and have been playing solid cricket to challenge India, but his side’s focus remains on sticking to its strengths. Informs that they have two changes with Shivam Dube and Bhuvneshwar Kumar coming into the side.

The skipper of West Indies – Shai Hope says that they will bowl first. He goes on to add that the surface looks good, but with the rain around, expect the conditions to be a bit wet. On the shortened contest, he says that they do have the power hitters, but first up, they need to focus on their bowling. He goes on to say that this has been a good series and they want to finish on a high, and ends by informing that they are going in with an unchanged side.

TOSS – It’s finally time for the coin to go up in Bengaluru. You’d think it would be a no-brainer to bowl first given the rain. ‘Heads’ is the call from Shai Hope, and he gets it right. West Indies elect to BOWL first.

3.16 pm GMT (8.46 pm IST) – Game on! The toss will take place at 3.30 pm GMT (9 pm IST), and the first ball will be bowled at 3.45 pm GMT (9.15 pm IST). It will be a 9-overs-per-side shootout, with the Powerplay lasting 2.4 overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has marked his run-up, so he looks set to feature in his first T20I for India since 2022. Shivam Dube has also marked his run-up, so it will be interesting to see what combination India go with, and West Indies too, for that matter.

3.13 pm GMT (8.43 pm IST) – The Indian players are heading out for their warm-ups, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Prince Yadav and Arshdeep Singh among the first to make their way out. Bhuvneshwar gets a rousing reception from the RCB faithful, as you would expect. Arshdeep’s presence is also a sign that he could be fit to play, while Mayank Yadav might make way for Bhuvneshwar.

3.01 pm GMT (8.31 pm IST) – Good news! The rain seems to have eased, and the ground staff are quickly getting to work. They are welcomed onto the field with a loud cheer from the crowd and waste no time in peeling off the covers. There are no visible puddles, thanks to Chinnaswamy’s excellent drainage system. The match officials have also made their way out to inspect the conditions. Let’s hope there is no more rain and we are able to get some cricket in.

2.45 pm GMT (8.15 pm IST) – Well, there’s no change in the rain situation in Bengaluru. But as the wait goes on in this game, you can switch tabs and keep an eye on the UAE Tri-Series opener between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe are 207/5 in 41 overs after having chosen to bat first. Do check back in soon as we bring you the latest updates from this clash.

More on the drainage system – The Chinnaswamy has a SubAir system installed just beneath the surface. It uses pumps and drainage pipes to draw excess water off the ground and also circulates dry air underneath to speed up drying. The system is estimated to drain up to three inches of water in 30 minutes, which is why the ground is known for some of the quickest turnarounds in the country. It also prevents puddles from forming. But for the system to work its magic, the rain will first have to stop.

2.15 pm GMT (7.45 pm IST) – The buffer time has elapsed, and we will start to lose overs from here on. If we do get a game, it will now be a shortened one. The locals aren’t too optimistic about getting any action tonight, but the cut-off is still some way off, so we will wait and see.

A quick word with the star Indian opener – Sanju Samson says he is in a good headspace after a successful World Cup and is keen to stick to the process while keeping the outside noise at bay. On dealing with rain delays, he says having characters like Ravi Bishnoi and Arshdeep Singh around helps keep the atmosphere lively and the team in good spirits during such interruptions. With the New Zealand tour coming up and little time to prepare, Samson feels experience will come in handy and hopes to carry the momentum from this series into that assignment.

1.58 pm GMT (7.28 pm IST) – The rain continues to fall steadily, with no sign of letting up just yet. The forecast isn’t encouraging either, with rain expected to hang around for a long haul. That said, Bengaluru’s weather can be unpredictable, so let’s hope things take a turn for the better. We still have a couple of hours to squeeze in a five-over game. For now, you can switch tabs and follow the action from the Tri-Series opener in Abu Dhabi between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, where Zimbabwe have done well to recover from a shaky start.

1.33 pm GMT (7.03 pm IST) – Not much has changed since the last update. If anything, the rain has only picked up in intensity, and we continue to wait for a break in the weather. Coincidentally, the last time international cricket was played at the Chinnaswamy was also a rain-affected affair. The Test between India and New Zealand in 2024 lost its entire first day to the weather, and when play finally began exactly two years ago today, India were blown away for 46. It turned out to be a sign of things to come, as India suffered a shock whitewash at the hands of New Zealand.

In conversation with Ishan Kishan – Ishan starts by saying that he’s somewhere in the middle when asked whether he feels the pressure of a decider or he stays calm, and reckons that a decider is a situation that they haven’t been in off late and is happy to be in this situation, but the main thing is to have the right frame of mind. He further mentions that it is vital not to think about the situation much and play your natural game. On the challenge for the bowlers in this series, Kishan says that the wickets have been pretty good for batting, but there’s always room for improvement, and it is a team game, so they need to be together and execute their plans. On being the number 1 ranked T20I batter, he says that he doesn’t feel the pressure, as he doesn’t think about it much, and keeps the stats aside, and he tries to do his best out there in the middle and enjoy the moments.

1.15 pm GMT (6.45 pm IST) – According to the host broadcaster, we have 45 minutes of buffer time before we start losing overs. The positive is that Chinnaswamy boasts one of, if not the best, drainage systems in India, so once the rain subsides, the turnaround time should be relatively quick. The cut-off time for a five-overs-per-side contest is 4.11 pm GMT (9.41 pm IST), so there is still plenty of time to get a game in. Stick around for more news.

1 pm GMT (6.30 pm IST) – The official word is in. The drizzle has not relented yet, and as a result, the TOSS HAS BEEN DELAYED. Sunil Gavaskar feels that the drizzle is so light that, had play already been underway, the umpires probably wouldn’t have stopped the game. Stay tuned for further updates.

What’s at stake – A win for the Windies would end India’s unbeaten run in T20I series at home, which dates back to their loss to Australia in February 2019. It would also be the Men in Maroon’s first series win against India in India in any format since 2003. The fighters are ready, but the bell will have to wait, as it is still raining. We will keep you posted.

Two ways to win – This series has been a contest of two different styles. India have outbatted West Indies when it comes to fours, 83 to 69, which is a reflection of the way they go about their business. But when it comes to sixes, West Indies lead 57 to 41, and that 16-six cushion shows how the visitors have chosen to hit their way to wins.

A full-circle moment – Arshdeep Singh is nursing a sore shoulder after taking a blow while batting in Hyderabad, and it has opened the door for Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The RCB hero, who earned his New Zealand call-up on the back of his heroics in two title-winning campaigns, has been drafted in as cover and could make his first T20I appearance since 2022 at the ground he calls home.

Hope holds the key – Shai Hope has been a beacon of consistency across the ODIs and the T20Is, with 4 tons in 7 innings, and all three of West Indies’ wins on this tour have come with a Hope hundred. In the two T20Is where he fell cheaply, scoring 12 and 5, West Indies lost, so how long he stays at the crease could decide this decider.

Hello, one and all – Welcome to the final act of what has been a thrilling series. We have witnessed two boxers trading blows, with each side landing big punches and neither able to deliver the knockout, and now we are down to the deciding bout, with the series locked at 2-2. Rain is threatening to play spoilsport, and with so much on the line, a washout would be a cruel way to settle a contest like this. After staying dry for most of the day, the clouds have built up around the Chinnaswamy, and it is raining at the moment, so the first ball may be some way off, if we get one at all.

Bengaluru braces for a series decider – Four matches, two wins apiece and everything to play for. India and West Indies head to the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru for the final T20I, with neither side able to establish a lasting advantage in a series that has showcased some exceptional batting and dramatic shifts in momentum. India will be keen to make home advantage count, but West Indies have shown they possess the firepower to challenge the hosts on their own turf. With the visitors coming off a convincing win in Hyderabad, the pressure is on India to respond, while the Caribbean side will fancy their chances of completing a memorable series triumph. The stakes could hardly be higher. India’s batting firepower needs consistency – India’s batting has provided plenty of reasons for optimism, but their challenge has been to translate that firepower into consistent team performances. Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 102 off 43 balls in the opening match set the tone, while Abhishek Sharma’s 69 off 30 deliveries in Indore underlined the destructive potential at their disposal. However, the hosts need more than individual brilliance to get across the line in a contest of this magnitude. The concern lies in how quickly their position can unravel when the opposition fights back. India’s bowlers have struggled to contain West Indies’ power hitters, with the visitors breaching the 240-run mark in Hyderabad after also pulling off a successful chase of 250 in Ranchi. Finding a way to stem the flow of runs without sacrificing their wicket-taking threat will be central to India’s plans. Middle-order response and bowling execution – There is also the question of batting depth and composure. Sanju Samson’s explosive 56 off 23 balls in the previous game gave India a flying start, but Keemo Paul’s five-wicket haul exposed the fragility of the chase once the initial momentum faded. The hosts will need their middle order to absorb pressure and rebuild if early wickets fall, rather than relying solely on a blistering start. India’s bowling combination will also come under scrutiny, particularly with Arshdeep Singh’s fitness a concern after the previous match. His availability could be significant for a side that needs reliable execution at the death, but Prince Yadav has impressed with his quality, while Axar Patel remains a threat in the Powerplay. With the series on the line, India must find the right balance between attacking intent and discipline. Hope leads a formidable batting unit – West Indies have grown into the series, and their comeback has been driven by the remarkable form of captain Shai Hope. His unbeaten centuries in Ranchi and Hyderabad have given the visitors a dependable anchor around whom their aggressive batters can build. With two hundreds already in the series, Hope has become the man India must find a way to dismiss before he settles into another match-defining innings. The support around him has been just as important. Sherfane Rutherford’s 84 off 37 balls in the successful chase in Ranchi demonstrated his ability to change a game in a matter of overs, while his unbeaten 49 off 26 deliveries in Hyderabad helped push West Indies to 247/3. The visitors have repeatedly shown that they can sustain their aggression deep into an innings, making them dangerous even when the opposition appears to have a foothold. Another test for the bowling attack – Their bowling has now delivered a decisive contribution as well. Paul’s 5/41 in Hyderabad turned a promising Indian chase into a collapse, while Gudakesh Motie’s two wickets added to the pressure. Shamar Joseph has been off-colour in this series and will want to make an impact in the final game. That performance will give the visitors confidence that they can defend a big total rather than having to rely on their batting to win every contest. The challenge now is to reproduce that intensity in Bengaluru. West Indies will want Hope to continue setting the platform, their finishers to maximise the final overs and their bowlers to attack India’s middle order. Having recovered from 1-2 to level the series, they have earned the opportunity to finish the job. Runs, boundaries and pressure – The Chinnaswamy is renowned for its compact boundaries and batting-friendly conditions, making it an exciting setting for a contest between two line-ups packed with power hitters. With both sides having demonstrated the ability to score heavily throughout the series, the final match could once again hinge on how effectively the bowlers manage the middle and death overs. However, a high-scoring venue does not necessarily make the contest straightforward. The side batting first will need to maintain momentum without losing wickets in clusters, while the chasing team must ensure that an explosive start does not turn into a reckless pursuit. Changes of pace, accurate yorkers and smart use of the field could prove just as important as raw pace. The toss could also influence the contest, with captains needing to assess the surface and the possibility of dew before making their decision. After the contrasting outcomes in Indore and Hyderabad, neither side can afford to assume that batting first or chasing will automatically provide an advantage. Rain threat could play a part – Weather could be a factor in Bengaluru, with forecasts indicating the possibility of thunderstorms and rain. Cloudy skies and potential interruptions could make conditions tricky for both sides, while the ground staff may have to remain on their toes. With the series finely poised at 2-2, both teams will be hoping the weather stays clear enough for an uninterrupted contest, as even a brief spell of rain could have a significant impact on the decider. Form (Last 5 completed T20Is, recent first) – IND – LWLWW | WI – WLWLW. The final word – This series has become a contest of contrasting strengths. India have shown their ability to produce explosive batting performances, but West Indies have matched them with power, resilience and a captain in outstanding form. The hosts now need a more complete display, while the visitors will look to carry the confidence of their latest victory into the decider. One final match will settle the question of supremacy. With the series tied at 2-2 and the Chinnaswamy providing the stage, the side that handles the decisive moments better will leave Bengaluru with the trophy.