Indian openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill on Saturday created the record for the joint-highest opening partnership for India in T20Is after their opening stand of 165 runs while chasing a target of 179 against West Indies in the fourth of the five-match series in Florida.
It may be mentioned that KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma also have a 165-run stand against Sri Lanka for the opening wicket in a match played at Indore in 2017.
The highest partnership for India in T20Is is held by the pairing of Deepak Hooda and Sanju Samson who shared a 176-run partnership against Ireland last year.
Meanwhile, the highest partnership ever in T20Is is between Usman Ghani and Hazratullah Zazai, who together scored 236 runs for Afghanistan against Ireland in 2019. It is also the highest opening partnership in T20Is.
At the age of just 21 years of 227 days, Jaiswal became the youngest Indian opener to score a T20I half century. However, the youngest Indian to score a T20I fifty is Rohit Sharma, whose half-a-ton came against South Africa in 2007 when he was 20 years and 143 days old.
With the win, India levelled the series 2-2 with one more game remaining which will be played today.
West Indies were down to 57 for the loss of four wickets in 6.5 overs following Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav's spells. Shai Hope scored 45 runs in 29 deliveries including three boundaries and two sixes, while Shimron Hetmyer scored 61 off 39 balls to take West Indies past the 100-run mark. His innings included three fours and four sixes. Alongside Odean Smith, he took West Indies to 178 for the loss of eight wickets at the end of their 20 overs.
On the other hand, Arshdeep Singh (3/38) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/26) were the best of the pick among Indian bowlers with their constant onslaught of spin and pace troubling the men from Carribbean. Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal and Mukesh Kumar ended the match with a wicket each to their names.
With 179 runs to win, India made the start they would have hoped for as openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill took advantage of the flat, batting-friendly surface to pile up the runs and take the team to the brink of a win almost single-handedly.
However, that was not to be as Gill was dismissed by Romario Shepherd on 77 runs off 47 balls, having scored three fours and five sixes. With another youngster Tilak Varma coming in to bat, Jaiswal ended the chase with a score of 84 not out in 51 balls including 11 fours and three sixes.
Jaiswal was aptly named the 'Player of the Match' for his swashbuckling performance in taking India over the line comfortably and tying the series and 2-2.
