West Indies defeated India by 24 runs in the 4th T20I at Hyderabad on October 14, 2026, levelling the five-match series 2-2. West Indies posted 247/3 in their 20 overs, and India, despite a determined chase, were bowled out for 223 in 19.3 overs, falling well short of the target.
India, led by Shreyas Iyer, won the toss and elected to field first, a decision that backfired as West Indies batters dominated the innings throughout. The result set up a series decider with everything to play for in the final match.
Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif was sharply critical of India's performance during the innings break. Kaif pointed to the bowling unit's inability to execute basics, the team's fielding lapses and their persistent over-rate issues as the primary reasons India conceded such a large total.
"The Indian bowling unit aren't even able to do the basics right. This entire series, even in the ODIs, they've struggled to complete their overs on time. The fielding hasn't helped this inexperienced bowling attack. So India lacked in every aspect on the field, which is how you concede nearly 250," Kaif said on Cricbuzz.
What went wrong for India in the field?
India's bowling and fielding combination proved costly throughout the West Indies innings. The hosts struggled to contain the West Indies batters on a surface that demanded precise planning and execution, and their over-rate problems compounded the pressure on an inexperienced attack. Kaif also highlighted that India's bowling plans were poorly suited to the Hyderabad surface.
"India's bowling plans were poor for this surface. In Hyderabad, the slow bouncer is the most effective delivery. Think of how many batters Pat Cummins dismissed using the square boundaries with that delivery. India missed a trick by not using the slower bouncer," he said.
Shai Hope was the standout performer for West Indies, scoring an unbeaten 102 off 50 balls, including 4 fours and 9 sixes. It was Hope's second century of the series and his third T20I century overall, underlining how completely India's bowlers failed to contain him. Keemo Paul then took 5/41 to restrict India's chase, with Sanju Samson's 56 being the most notable contribution from the home side.
What does this result mean for India going forward?
The defeat left India's bowling concerns unresolved heading into the series decider. Kaif was direct in his assessment, noting that even a win in the final match would not address the structural problems in India's bowling and fielding setup.
"Even if India wins this match, they can't be happy. Because none of their problems have been rectified, be it bowling, catching or bowling on time. And the West Indies is a lower-ranked team. This is not Australia or England with great players smashing India. Indian fans will be worried about the bowling," he said.
The series decider is scheduled at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, where India will need to address the same issues that allowed West Indies to post 247/3 in Hyderabad. With the series level at 2-2, Iyer's side face the task of correcting their bowling execution and fielding standards in a must-win game.
