India captain Shreyas Iyer caught fans' attention during the third T20I against the West Indies in Indore after a video showed him flashing a double thumbs-up from the dugout. The lighthearted moment came just before he walked out to bat, but Iyer lasted only two balls before Roston Chase dismissed him for one run.
The Men in Blue defended their total of 223 runs to secure a 14-run victory at the Holkar Stadium on Sunday, October 11. They took a 2-1 lead in the ongoing five-match series. Abhishek Sharma's explosive 69 off 30 balls and a disciplined bowling effort helped the hosts recover from their previous defeat in Ranchi.
Shreyas Iyer's Dugout Antics Precede Quick Dismissal
A viral clip from the Indore match showed Shreyas Iyer sitting alongside head coach Gautam Gambhir in the dugout and signalling a double thumbs-up to a teammate on the field during the second over of India's innings.
However, Sanju Samson was dismissed after scoring just 3 runs off 6 balls against Shamar Joseph. Iyer then walked out to bat at No. 4 after Ishan Kishan's dismissal. Kishan scored 37 runs off just 18 balls, including six fours and one six.
However, the Indian captain could not make an impact with the bat. Roston Chase dismissed Shreyas Iyer for one run off two balls, and India soon lost three wickets for just nine runs in 10 deliveries.
Abhishek Sharma Powers India to 223 Against West Indies
Despite the middle-order collapse, India posted 223 all out. Abhishek led the charge with 69 off 30 balls, while Kishan scored 37 off 18 deliveries. Tilak Varma added 28 off 16 balls, and Nitish Kumar Reddy contributed 21 off 14 to keep the scoring rate high.
The third T20I produced 432 runs, following the 501-run contest in Ranchi. The West Indies fought back through Kamil Mishara, who scored 42 off 27 balls, and Shimron Hetmyer, who made 43 off 26. However, regular wickets prevented the visitors from building a match-winning partnership.
Shamar Springer struck an unbeaten 35 off just 11 balls, but the West Indies finished at 209/7, falling 14 runs short. India's bowlers held their nerve in the closing stages to secure the victory and put the hosts ahead in the series.
Shreyas Iyer Remains Among Series' Leading Run-Scorers
Despite his failure in Indore, Shreyas Iyer remains India's leading run-scorer in the series. He began with an unbeaten 102 off 43 balls in Lucknow before scoring a quickfire 40 in Ranchi. His 143 runs across three matches have kept him among the tournament's top performers.
After the third T20I, Iyer ranked third on the overall run-scoring list, behind West Indies batters Sherfane Rutherford and Shai Hope. Rutherford led with 172 runs, followed by Hope with 159. Ishan Kishan had scored 117 runs, while Abhishek Sharma had accumulated 110.
With two matches remaining, Shreyas Iyer will look to help India clinch the five-match series. The next match will take place at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday, October 14.
Also read: Watch: Tilak Varma's bizarre run-out leaves Gautam Gambhir fuming during IND vs WI 3rd T20I
