West Indies chase 250 in Ranchi: India's record T20I defeat, explained

The match

Batting first in the second T20 international in Ranchi on Friday, India made 249 for 5, with Sanju Samson top-scoring with 82 off 41 balls.

West Indies reached 252 for 4 in just 18.3 overs to win by six wickets. Shai Hope finished unbeaten on 102 off 45 balls, and Sherfane Rutherford made 84 off 37. The result levelled the five-match series at 1-1.

The records

Sportskeeda listed the records India conceded. It was the highest successful run chase against India in T20Is, and the second-highest successful chase in all T20Is. Hope's century equalled the fastest T20I hundred scored against India. And India had never before failed to defend a target of 250 in a T20I.

The slowdown that cost India

India's innings lost momentum in the middle. After Ishan Kishan was out on the first ball of the 12th over, Shivam Dube came in and made only 7 off 10 balls, and India scored just 39 runs from overs 12 to 16.

Former India opener Abhinav Mukund said the toss is a massive factor at the ground, that India had to get as many as possible and tried with 249, and that the slowdown in the middle probably hurt them. "Shivam Dube slowed down in the middle, and it was an experiment," he said.

What it means for the series

With the series level after two games, India need to win two of the remaining three matches to take it. The result has also renewed the debate about Dube's role in the middle order, which was among the trending searches in India on 10 October.