Photo by Ashwin Kumar from Bangalore, India (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons

India and West Indies Set for Decisive Fifth T20I in Bengaluru

The fifth and final T20I between India and the West Indies is scheduled for Saturday, 17 October 2026, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, starting at 7:00 PM IST (1:30 PM GMT).

The five-match series stands tied at 2-2 after the West Indies earned a 24-run win in the fourth match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday, 14 October 2026.

Series Context and Fourth Match Performances

High scoring has defined the contest so far. The West Indies completed the second-highest successful chase in T20I history in the second game by overhauling a 250-run target.

India responded in Indore during the third T20I, defending 223 all out to restrict the visitors to 209 for 7 and win by 14 runs. In that third match, Abhishek Sharma made 69 off 30 balls, reaching a 50 in 18 deliveries to mark the fastest T20I half-century by an Indian against the West Indies, while Arshdeep Singh claimed three wickets.

In the fourth T20I, West Indies captain Shai Hope claimed Player of the Match honors after compiling an unbeaten 102 off 50 balls, featuring 4 fours and 9 sixes. Sherfane Rutherford added an unbeaten 49 off 26 deliveries as the visitors reached 247 for 3.

Hope stated after the match that he felt "240 plus was a very decent score" because while they went in expecting a flat deck, he felt the ball was holding in the pitch. Keemo Paul then recorded 5 for 41 in four overs to bowl India out for 223 in 19.3 overs, despite Sanju Samson's 56 off 23 balls.

Individual Form and Venue Conditions

Abhishek, who followed his Indore innings with 29 runs off 24 balls in Hyderabad, drew praise from former India spinner Yuzvendra Chahal: "The best thing is that he is playing the same way as he started. He hasn't changed.

When he moves away from the stumps, he wants you to bowl there. He is hitting with just timing".

Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh conceded 52 runs for one wicket before retiring hurt on 5 in the final over after being hit on the left shoulder/arm area by a short ball from Shamar Joseph. Former Bengal cricketer Shreevats Goswami posted on X: "What Shamar Joseph did in the last 3 balls against Arshdeep is not in the spirit of the game for me!".

The series concludes at Bengaluru, where the highest men's T20I total is 212, recorded by both India (212/4) and Afghanistan (212/6) in January 2024. In IPL matches at the ground, Sunrisers Hyderabad hold the record score of 287 for 3 from 2024, with the overall average first-innings total standing at 167.61.

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