Rain had the final say in Bengaluru. The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium’s first international match in two years ended in an anticlimax on Saturday night as the series-deciding fifth T20I between India and the West Indies was abandoned without a result — a cruel twist for everyone who had read our 5th T20I preview — leaving the five-match T20I series drawn 2-2. Only 7.4 overs of cricket were possible before the weather shut everything down — and with the 10:21 pm cut-off for a five-over chase approaching fast, the umpires called it off at 10:16 pm, sending both camps shaking hands instead of one side lifting the trophy outright.
It was a cruel end to one of the most entertaining bilateral series of the year. India had won the opener in Lucknow by eight wickets and the third T20I in Indore by 14 runs; the West Indies had stormed back with a six-wicket win in Ranchi and a stunning 24-run win in Hyderabad, where they posted 247 for 3 on the back of Shai Hope’s unbeaten 102 off 50 balls. With the score level at 2-2, Bengaluru was supposed to settle it. Instead, the skies settled nothing.
How the night unfolded
After hours of drizzle delayed the scheduled 6:30 pm toss, the rain finally relented around 8:30 pm. The toss went ahead with the match reduced to nine overs a side, and play finally began at 9:15 pm in front of a crowd that had waited patiently for hours. Shai Hope won the toss and chose to bowl first, backing his attack in the shortened shootout. What followed was 7.4 overs of pure chaos — India’s fastest team fifty in T20Is came in this burst — before the drizzle that had resumed midway through the innings grew heavy right after Shamar Springer cleaned up Tilak Varma in the eighth over, forcing the covers on. The rain never relented enough for the West Indies to begin their chase, and at 10:16 pm the match was abandoned.
India’s brief but blazing innings
Put in to bat, India attacked from ball one. Abhishek Sharma fell early for 6 off 4 (one six, caught by Shamar Joseph off Keemo Paul), and Sanju Samson followed for 16 off 7, bowled by Shamar Springer. But Ishan Kishan lit up the night with a blistering 30 off just 10 balls — three fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 300 — before falling to Shamar Joseph, caught by Rovman Powell. Skipper Shreyas Iyer struggled for timing but contributed 22 off 14 before holing out to Shamar Joseph off Keemo Paul. Tilak Varma managed 7 off 6 before Springer cleaned him up. Then came the night’s loudest cameo: Naman Dhir smashed an unbeaten 24 off just six balls, with one four and three sixes at a strike rate of 400, leaving India at 118 for 5 in 7.4 overs when the rain returned for good. Keemo Paul (2-0-34-2) and Shamar Springer (1.4-0-17-2) shared the wickets, with Shamar Joseph taking 1 for 18.
West Indies never got to bat
The West Indies innings never began. Had the rain relented in time for a five-over chase, their Duckworth-Lewis-Stern target would have been 84 — and interestingly, it would have given Bhuvneshwar Kumar his first international bowling appearance since 2022, with the rules allowing one bowler two overs in a five-over innings. It was not to be: the cut-off of 10:21 pm passed with the rain still falling, and the match was declared a no-result.
Key performances
Ishan Kishan’s 30 off 10 was the standout Indian innings, all timing and audacity. Naman Dhir’s unbeaten 24 off 6 was the innings of the night on pure impact — three sixes in six balls. For the West Indies, Shamar Springer was superb with 1.4-0-17-2, twice striking at key moments, while Keemo Paul’s 2-0-34-2 and Shamar Joseph’s 1-0-18-1 kept India from exploding even further. And while there was no Player of the Match in an abandoned game, the series award went to Shai Hope for 261 runs across the five games, including that masterful unbeaten hundred in Hyderabad that had dragged the series level.
What the washout means
The series finishes 2-2 — honours shared. For the West Indies, the washout denied them a shot at their first series win in India since 2002; but they leave having competed fiercely for three straight weeks, in the ODIs as well as the T20Is, and having ended India’s streak of 12 consecutive home T20I series wins. For India, there were clear learnings: captain Shreyas Iyer admitted as much, saying the batting had been sensational but the execution with the ball fell short in the second and fourth games, while crediting Hope’s superb series. India now fly to New Zealand for a five-match T20I series, and the West Indies head to Bangladesh — both teams leaving Bengaluru with the trophy shared and the decider that never was.
Full Scorecard
India innings 118/5 in 7.4 overs (match reduced to 9 overs a side; West Indies did not bat).
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanju Samson | b Shamar Springer | 16 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 228.57 |
| Abhishek Sharma | c Shamar Joseph b Keemo Paul | 6 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 150.00 |
| Ishan Kishan | c Rovman Powell b Shamar Joseph | 30 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 300.00 |
| Shreyas Iyer | c Shamar Joseph b Keemo Paul | 22 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 157.14 |
| Tilak Varma | b Shamar Springer | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 116.67 |
| Naman Dhir | not out | 24 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 400.00 |
| Extras: 13 | Total: 118/5 (7.4 overs) | ||||||
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shamar Springer | 1.4 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 10.20 |
| Keemo Paul | 2.0 | 0 | 34 | 2 | 17.00 |
| Shamar Joseph | 1.0 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 18.00 |
| Gudakesh Motie | 2.0 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 12.50 |
| Romario Shepherd | 1.0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 24.00 |
Fall of wickets came in this order — Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma — with the fifth wicket falling at 118/5 in 7.4 overs. West Indies innings: did not start (match abandoned).
For the complete ball-by-ball account, read the ESPNcricinfo match report.
FAQs
Who won the India vs West Indies 5th T20I?
Neither. The match was abandoned due to rain with no result possible; India were 118/5 in 7.4 overs when play was stopped for the final time.
What was the final score of the 5th T20I?
India 118 for 5 in 7.4 overs. The West Indies did not bat, and the game was called off at 10:16 pm IST.
Who won the T20I series?
The five-match series ended 2-2. India won the 1st and 3rd T20Is; the West Indies won the 2nd and 4th; the decider was washed out.
Who was named Player of the Series?
West Indies captain Shai Hope, for 261 runs in the series including an unbeaten 102 off 50 balls in the 4th T20I in Hyderabad.
Could the West Indies have chased?
Only if five overs of their innings had been possible before 10:21 pm. Their DLS target would have been 84, but the rain never relented and the match was abandoned five minutes before the cut-off.
Conclusion
A damp squib of a finale, then — but few will forget this series. Five games, two thumping wins each, a hundred from Shai Hope, a record fifty from India in the final burst, and a decider stolen by the Bengaluru rain. The 2-2 scoreline flatters neither side and both: India keep their pride, the West Indies keep their momentum, and the trophy — shared — heads in two directions. The wait for a full game at the Chinnaswamy goes on; the memories of this series will not.
Green Benn is a dedicated sports writer specializing in cricket, including IPL and international formats. Known for clear, engaging, and informative content, Green simplifies complex match analysis and player statistics for all readers. Passionate about sports storytelling, Green delivers reliable, SEO-friendly articles that keep fans updated and informed
