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In a captivating T20I series between West Indies and India, the final match concluded with the West Indies emerging triumphant and sealing the series victory at Florida’s Central Broward Stadium on Sunday. The five-match series had been evenly poised, with India making a comeback after losing the initial two matches, only to be outdone by a determined West Indies side in the ultimate clash.
Opting to bat first, India struggled to set a challenging target, managing to score 165/9 in their allotted 20 overs. Suryakumar Yadav stood out as the lone performer for the Indian side, showcasing an impressive display of batting prowess with a quickfire 61 off 45 balls, including four boundaries and three gigantic sixes. However, Romario Shepherd‘s exceptional bowling proved to be a thorn in India’s side, as he picked up four crucial wickets for just 31 runs in his spell of four overs. Jason Holder and Akeal Hosein contributed to the West Indies’ bowling effort with two wickets each.
In response, West Indies’ Brandon King stole the show with a swashbuckling knock of 85 not out off 55 deliveries, guiding his team to a comprehensive victory in just 18 overs. Nicholas Pooran played a crucial supporting role, adding 47 runs from 35 balls, cementing West Indies’ dominance and securing their series win.
Also READ: Twitter erupts as West Indies thrash India in 5th T20I to record historic series win
Venkatesh Prasad lambasts Team India
However, the aftermath of India’s series loss saw former Indian cricketer Venkatesh Prasad taking to social media to express his disappointment with the team’s performance and management. Prasad did not hold back in his criticism, labeling the current Indian limited-overs side as ‘very ordinary’ and calling out their lack of introspection and accountability for their shortcomings. He highlighted the absence of the ‘fire’ and ‘hunger’ for victory in the team’s approach.
“India has been a very very ordinary limited overs side for some time now. They have been humbled by a West Indies side that failed to qualify for the T20 WC few months back. We had also lost to Ban in the ODI series. Hope they introspect instead of making silly statements,” Prasad tweeted.
India has been a very very ordinary limited overs side for sometime now. They have been humbled by a West Indies side that failed to qualify for the T20 WC few months back. We had also lost to Ban in the ODI series. Hope they introspect instead of making silly statements #IndvWI
— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) August 13, 2023
Prasad’s tweets shed light on India’s recent struggles against opponents considered less formidable, such as Bangladesh, and emphasized the need for a more candid assessment of the team’s performance. He argued that rather than hiding behind processes and excuses, the team should confront their issues head-on and work towards reclaiming their competitive edge.
Also READ: Hardik Pandya shares his perspective following T20I series loss to West Indies
“Not just 50 overs, West Indies had failed to qualify for the T20 World cup last Oct- Nov as well. It pains to see India perform poorly and brush it under the carpet, under the garb of process. That hunger, fire is missing and we live in an illusion,” added Prasad.
Not just 50 overs, West Indies had failed to qualify for the T20 World cup last Oct- Nov as well.
It pains to see India perform poorly and brush it under the carpet, under the garb of process. That hunger, fire is missing and we live in an illusion. https://t.co/8GDNDfW9dg— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) August 13, 2023
