Welcome to Miami: Team India lands in Florida ahead of last two T20Is against West Indies
India players touched down in Floria on Thursday morning ahead of the much-anticipated last leg of the tour of the West Indies. The Hardik Pandya-led team arrived at the Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport in Florida, making their way from Guyana after the end of the 3rd T20I. The Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Lauderhill, Florida will host the 4th and 5th T20I of the 5-match series on Saturday, August 13 and Sunday, August 14.
The journey from Guyana to Florida was filled with smiles as the Indian stars were excited to touch down in Miami. “Welcome to Miami,” Yuzvendra Chahal said as the Indian stars looked relaxed ahead of the final leg of the tour.
India made sure they kept the series alive by winning the 3rd T20I after losing the first two T20Is against the West Indies.
India have a fine record in Florida as they have won 4 of their 6 matches at the venue, facing defeat only the first time they played at the ground in 2016.
The star of the match was undoubtedly Suryakumar Yadav, who showcased his exceptional batting skills by scoring a blistering 83 runs off just 44 balls. His performance was instrumental in leading India to a seven-wicket win, keeping the team’s hopes alive in the five-match series. Yadav’s aggressive batting style and ability to hit boundaries under pressure were key factors in India’s successful chase of the 160-run target set by the West Indies.
However, the Indian openers, debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, had a disappointing start, getting out early with scores of just 1 and 6 respectively. Despite this setback, the middle-order batsmen stepped up to the challenge. Tilak Varma, another rising star, played a crucial role in supporting Yadav. He remained unbeaten, scoring 49 runs off 37 balls. Varma’s calm and composed batting provided the perfect balance to Yadav’s aggressive approach, helping India reach the target in 17.5 overs.
The Indian bowlers also contributed significantly to the team’s victory. Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the bowlers, taking three wickets and restricting the flow of runs during the West Indies’ innings. The West Indies captain, Rovman Powell, did manage to score a quickfire 40 not out off 19 balls, but it was not enough to secure a win for his team.
This victory was a stark contrast to India’s performance in the first two T20Is. In the first match, held at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad, India fell short by four runs in a nail-biting finish. Despite a valiant effort by the lower order, the team could only manage 145/9 in their 20 overs, losing the match by a narrow margin. The second T20I saw a similar outcome, with the West Indies beating India by two wickets in Guyana.
