Abhishek, Arshdeep lead India to series lead over West Indies

India secured a crucial victory over West Indies in the third T20 International, extending their series lead to 2-1 with a comprehensive performance on Sunday. The home team posted 223 all out, powered by Abhishek Sharma's brisk 69 off 30 deliveries and a valuable 37-run contribution from Ishan Kishan. The pair's century partnership anchored India's innings, though the middle overs saw some lapses in execution.

Hunting the total, West Indies managed 209 for seven, falling short by 14 runs in a chase that never gained momentum. Pacer Arshdeep Singh was instrumental in derailing the visitors' hopes, claiming three wickets for 44 runs. He struck early by dismissing West Indies captain Shai Hope for just five runs in the second over, a blow from which the Caribbean side never recovered.

Arshdeep's subsequent scalps of Sherfane Rutherford (32) and Keemo Paul (10) further restricted West Indies' scoring. While Shimron Hetmyer provided some resistance with 43 runs off 26 balls, his early reprieve failed to translate into a match-winning innings. The West Indies batting order struggled to build sustained partnerships, leaving them short in their chase.

The series will continue with two remaining matches scheduled in the five-game format. India's balanced performance with both bat and ball has given them the advantage heading into the final two encounters.