Rain ended the fifth T20I in Bengaluru after India reached 118 for 5 in 7.4 overs of a nine-over match, without West Indies facing a ball. The abandonment left the series level at 2-2, and captains Shreyas Iyer and Shai Hope shared the trophy.
Bengaluru, India: The decider had been shaped by rain long before a ball was bowled. Overs were being lost from 7:45 pm at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the toss was pushed back, and a series that had swung on huge scores in Ranchi and Hyderabad was reduced to a nine-over sprint.
A reshaped decider
West Indies won the toss and chose to bowl, with play due to start at 9:15 pm. India made changes forced by fitness: Arshdeep Singh had taken a blow to his bowling shoulder in the fourth T20I, and the BCCI added Bhuvneshwar Kumar to the squad, with a decision on Arshdeep to follow before the match. Bhuvneshwar came in for Mayank Yadav, while Shivam Dube replaced Nitish Kumar Reddy, who missed out through illness.
Kishan and Dhir make the most of nine overs
A nine-over game left no room for a slow start, and India did not give themselves one: they scored at 15.39 an over. Abhishek Sharma went early for 6, caught off Shamar Joseph, but Ishan Kishan made 30 off 10 balls with three fours and two sixes before he was dismissed at 45 for 2. Sanju Samson fell for 16 off seven balls, bowled by Shamar Springer, and Shreyas Iyer added 22 off 14 before he was caught off Keemo Paul.
Tilak Varma was bowled by Springer for 7 with the score at 118 for 5. It brought Naman Dhir’s innings into focus. He finished unbeaten on 24 off six balls, hitting three sixes and a four. Springer took 2 for 17 and Paul 2 for 34 for West Indies.
The rain returns
Rain came back just after Tilak’s wicket, the covers went on, and India’s innings ended at 7.4 overs. West Indies had until 10:21 pm to start a five-over chase. The umpires called the match off at 10:16 pm, and West Indies never began their reply.
The result leaves the series where it stood before the toss. India won the opener in Lucknow and a 14-run win in Indore, while West Indies answered with a record chase of 250 in Ranchi and Hope’s final-ball hundred in Hyderabad. With no result in Bengaluru, nobody won the series, and the two captains, Iyer and Hope, shared the trophy.
Bhuvneshwar, back in India’s side for the decider, did not get to bowl. West Indies did not bat at all, and a series that produced a record chase and three centuries ended with a shared trophy and no winner.
Result: India 118/5 in 7.4 overs (Ishan Kishan 30, Naman Dhir 24*, Shreyas Iyer 22; Shamar Springer 2/17, Keemo Paul 2/34) v West Indies, did not bat. No result, rain. Series drawn 2-2.
Venue: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, Saturday 17 October 2026 (nine overs a side)
