West Indies all-rounder Shamar Springer described India opener Abhishek Sharma as a “world-class player” after the hosts claimed a hard-fought 14-run victory in the third T20 International at Holkar Stadium on Sunday. Speaking to reporters following the match, Springer explained that his team’s contingency plan against the left-hander had been deliberately defensive. “Our Plan B was to just be as defensive as possible and try to make him get singles and twos rather than boundaries. Nothing too extravagant,” he said. “It was just a matter of trying to pull him back… because there’s not much control you can really have here. The wickets are so good and those players are world-class players and they’re the best for a reason.” Sharma’s early aggression, however, rendered that strategy largely ineffective and provided India with a platform that ultimately proved decisive.

Sharma produced a blistering 69 off only 30 deliveries, laced with six fours and five sixes, to record his 14th half-century in T20 Internationals. In the process he became the fastest batter to reach the landmark of 2,000 T20I runs when measured by balls faced. After Sanju Samson fell cheaply for three, Sharma combined with Ishan Kishan in a 108-run second-wicket partnership that consumed just 40 balls. Kishan contributed a rapid 37 off 18 deliveries as India raced to 87 for one in the powerplay and later posted 223 all out. The left-hander’s innings gave the home side the cushion Springer later acknowledged allowed Indian bowlers to “stifle” the visitors in the middle overs. West Indies, set a target of 224, finished on 209 for seven.

Shimron Hetmyer (43) and Kamil Pooran (42) offered resistance, yet regular breakthroughs prevented a sustained assault. Arshdeep Singh claimed three wickets for 44 runs and was named player of the match, while Naman Dhir picked up two important scalps. Springer himself produced a late flourish, remaining unbeaten on 35 off 11 balls with four sixes, including three maximums in the final over, but the required rate had climbed beyond reach. The Caribbean side had hoped for dew to aid the chase, yet conditions remained largely dry and the surface continued to offer lower bounce than anticipated. The result gave India a 2-1 lead in the five-match series after West Indies had levelled it with a successful chase in Ranchi. Springer reflected that the Indian bowlers executed their plans more effectively than the visitors had managed with the ball earlier in the evening.

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“I thought that the Indian guys really executed it well today in the middle, kind of stifled us and left us with eventually too much runs at the end,” he observed. The Holkar Stadium pitch, while offering good batting conditions, demanded precise execution, and India proved sharper in both departments after an early wobble with the bat. Beyond the individual performances, the contest highlighted the growing maturity of India’s T20 approach under pressure. Sharma’s ability to dominate the powerplay while still rotating strike early set a tempo that forced West Indies onto the defensive. The subsequent middle-order contribution, though interrupted by a cluster of wickets, was sufficient to post a total that demanded near-perfect batting from the visitors.

On the bowling front, the hosts mixed pace variations and disciplined lengths to exploit the two-paced nature of the surface, denying the West Indies batters the freedom they had enjoyed in the previous match. With two fixtures remaining, India will seek to convert their series lead into an unassailable advantage, while West Indies must find ways to contain Sharma and improve their middle-overs efficiency. Springer’s candid assessment of the challenge posed by the Indian opener underscored the respect the Caribbean side holds for the current Indian top order. As the series moves forward, both teams will look to refine their strategies on surfaces that continue to reward aggressive yet calculated cricket. The Indore encounter, marked by Sharma’s fireworks and a composed bowling defence, has set an intriguing stage for the remainder of the contest.

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