Keemo Paul produced a match-winning five-wicket haul as West Indies defeated India by 24 runs in the fourth T20I in Hyderabad on Wednesday, levelling the five-match series 2-2 and becoming the first West Indies bowler to claim multiple five-fors in T20 internationals. The 5 for 41 from Keemo Paul headlined a disciplined bowling display that denied India despite a flying start to their chase of 248 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
Asked to bat first, West Indies posted a formidable 247 for 3, built on captain Shai Hope’s magnificent unbeaten 102 off 50 balls — his second century of the series and third in T20Is — and Sherfane Rutherford’s unbeaten 49 off 26. The pair’s unbroken 91-run stand was the second-highest fourth-wicket partnership for West Indies in the format, days after their record 120-run stand in Ranchi. Shimron Hetmyer (33 off 12) and Rovman Powell (24 off 17) added late fireworks, while the powerplay blitz of 79 for 1 was the hosts’ highest against India in T20Is and the team hundred arrived in just 7.4 overs.
India’s reply began brightly through Sanju Samson’s 20-ball fifty, but Paul struck twice in his opening over — removing Samson for 56 off 23 and Ishan Kishan — to swing momentum irreversibly. Gudakesh Motie removed Abhishek Sharma and Naman Dhir in successive deliveries, and though Tilak Varma (43 off 25) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (41 off 20) kept India in touch, Paul returned in the 19th over to complete his five-for as the hosts were bowled out for 223 with three balls unused.
Keemo Paul’s slower balls unlock Hyderabad surface
Paul credited his variations after the match, pointing to well-disguised slower balls and the lack of dew as key to West Indies’ control through the middle overs. On a true Hyderabad surface that witnessed 470 runs on the night, his change of pace repeatedly deceived India’s hitters — a tactical masterclass in an era of flat pitches and short boundaries.
“You can’t be too hard on yourself as a bowler on these tracks,” Paul noted, underlining how difficult the conditions were for his craft. His ability to take pace off while attacking the stumps gave West Indies something no other bowler on either side managed: sustained control across all four overs.
The Keemo Paul five-for was no one-off. The 28-year-old has been West Indies’ most consistent bowler on this tour, and his ability to adapt — mixing cutters into the pitch with well-directed yorkers — has made him Shai Hope’s go-to man in pressure moments. With the series decider looming, Keemo Paul’s form could hardly be better timed.
Keemo Paul makes West Indies history
The five-wicket haul was Paul’s second in T20Is, making him the first West Indies bowler to take multiple five-fors in the format — a landmark that underlines his growth into a genuine new-ball and death-overs weapon. Few all-rounders in world cricket currently offer his two-phase value: early swing and seam with the new ball, then ice-cold execution at the death.
His tournament has been a story of rhythm rediscovered. After years of stop-start international appearances, the 28-year-old is finally stringing together the performances his talent always promised, and West Indies’ attack looks transformed with him firing.
Keemo Paul sets up Bengaluru decider
The result keeps West Indies’ series hopes alive ahead of Saturday’s decider in Bengaluru — and it was a historic win in its own right, their first T20I victory on Indian soil since 2019. For India, the defeat continued a worrying trend of middle-overs collapses against disciplined bowling, and with Arshdeep Singh’s fitness now in doubt after the Shamar Joseph bouncer incident, the hosts have selection questions to answer.
Expect Keemo Paul to be central to the decider too: new-ball swing, clever variations, and a habit of striking when West Indies need it most. On current form, few bowlers in the series have looked as complete — and Saturday offers the perfect stage for him to finish the job he started in Hyderabad.