West Indies vs India, 3rd T20I, Providence: Preview, predictions, likely XIs

India have the series in the bag, their first two victories on American soil ensuring they have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match Twenty20 International series. The teams will now proceed to Providence, for the third and final match, inconsequential to the series maybe, but not without purpose.

In the two T20Is so far, India haven’t entirely convinced. More specifically, their batting. In the first T20I, they had West Indies on the ropes, keeping them to 95/9 after putting them in to bat. However, the second innings was bust. Despite chasing a small total, the batsmen crumbled – the big names just as much as the fringe players. They eventually sneaked over the line.

They were better in the second T20I. At least, Rohit Sharma was. His 51-ball 67 held the innings together, and though they still lost wickets after that, they managed a healthy 167. However, their bowlers once again impressed, and managed to eek out a 22-run DLS method victory.

West Indies are expected to be a better force in the final T20I, given they will play the match in their actual home ground. Can the Indian batsmen come good? This series was an opportunity for many of the fringe players to put their hands up and be counted. They haven’t taken that. For their sake, the last T20I needs to be made use of.

Head to head

India have snuck ahead in the head-to-head record. Their two victories so far this series have seen them take a 7-5 lead in their 13 matches so far.

Key players

Rovman Powell (West Indies): The West Indies batsmen have been poor this series, and that is an understatement. However, in all this, Powell stood firm in the second T20I, scoring a 34-ball 51. More of the same is needed in the face of sustained pressure from the Indian spinners in the third T20I.

Krunal Pandya (India): The older Pandya brother is an irresistible force in T20 cricket. There was a controlled spell of pressure in the first T20I, when he took a wicket, and he added wickets to the mix in the second, while also scoring a 13-ball 20*. He will be a key figure in India’s T20I side at the World Cup next year, if he can keep this up.

Likely XIs

West Indies: Sunil Narine, Evin Lewis, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Rovman Powell, Kieron Pollard, Shimron Hetmyer, Carlos Brathwaite (c), Khary Pierre, Keemo Paul, Sheldon Cottrell, Oshane Thomas

India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (c), Rishabh Pant, Manish Pandey, Krunal Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Navdeep Saini

Prediction

West Indies to get one back and make it 2-1.