India smash highest T20I total against West Indies as Samson, Iyer, Tilak run amok in Ranchi
Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan (Image credit: BCCI) NEW DELHI: India’s batting firepower was on full display in Ranchi on Friday as Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma powered the hosts to their highest ever T20I total against West Indies, amassing a stunning 249/5 in the second match of the five-match series.Samson led the charge with a brilliant 41-ball 82, while Ishan Kishan smashed 43 off 22 balls, Iyer contributed a fluent 40 off 18 balls and Tilak remained unbeaten on 44 off just 18 balls. A combined attack left West Indies facing a daunting target of 250 at the JSCA International Stadium.The total surpassed India’s previous highest T20I score against the West Indies – 244/4 at Lauderhill in 2016, when India eventually lost the last-ball thriller by just one run. India also posted 240/3 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in 2019 and 209/4 in Hyderabad the same year.200+ T20I total for India vs West Indies
- 249/5 – Ranchi, 2026
- 244/4 – Lauderhill, 2016
- 240/3 – Mumbai WS, 2019
- 209/4 – Hyderabad, 2019
Samson sets the tone, Iyer and Tilak turn on the heat
After managing just 11 in the series opener in Lucknow, Samson responded emphatically, bringing up his half-century in just 21 balls to equal Virat Kohli’s record for the joint-fastest fifty by an Indian against the West Indies in T20Is.The wicketkeeper was lucky after being dropped twice but made the opposition pay with a devastating display of power hitting. His 82 came from 41 deliveries and included nine fours and four sixes, giving India the initial momentum they needed.Samson and Abhishek Sharma added 42 runs in four overs for the opening wicket, with Abhishek contributing 20 off 12 balls. Ishan then kept his scoring rate high, hitting 43 off 22 deliveries, effectively a home run for the Jharkhand-born batsman.Iyer continued his fine touch with a smooth 18-ball 40 before Tilak stole the limelight in the closing overs. His unbeaten 44 off 18 balls ensured India finished with a flourish and turned an already formidable total into a formidable one.India’s power-play score of 79/1 was also their highest against West Indies in T20Is, surpassing the previous mark of 72 not out at the Wankhede in 2019.
Roston Chase stands out amid an expensive West Indies night
As the West Indies attack struggled to contain the Indian batting, Roston Chase proved to be an outstanding bowler returning figures of 3/24 in four overs. In an innings that produced 249 runs, Chase conceded just six runs in an over and claimed three of India’s five wickets.His disciplined bowling contrasted sharply with how others struggled with their lines and length, allowing the Indian batsmen to exploit loose deliveries and punish mistakes.
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Share an opinionThe onslaught also underlined the extraordinary form of India’s sixes in 2026. The side has already hit more than 300 sixes in T20Is this calendar year, surpassing their previous record of 289 in 2022. No other full-size side has hit 250 sixes in a calendar year.Abhishek Sharma contributed significantly to this surge, hitting 63 sixes in T20Is in 2026, second only to Suryakumar Yadav’s 68 in 2022 among all-rounders in a calendar year. Ishan Kishan has also cleared the ropes 51 times this year.With a target of 250 to chase, West Indies needed an extraordinary response to stay alive in the match and level the series.
- Brief scores: India 249/5 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 82, Ishan Kishan 43, Shreyas Iyer 40, Tilak Varma 44 not out; Roston Chase 3/24).