Correspondent, 18 October: Following the cancellation of the fifth and final T20 match between India and the West Indies due to rain at Bengaluru's M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the five-match series concluded in a 2-2 tie. Following the outcome, Indian captain Shreyas Iyer openly expressed his dissatisfaction with his bowlers' performance.
Heavy rain and a wet outfield initially forced officials to reduce the fifth match to a nine-over-per-side contest. However, the game was ultimately abandoned after 7.4 overs of the Indian innings were completed, as rain interrupted the play once again, leaving the match with no result.
Speaking during the post-match presentation, Iyer expressed his regret over missing the opportunity to secure a series victory. Indirectly faulting the bowling attack, he clearly admitted, "If we had bowled better in the second and fourth T20 matches, the result would definitely have been different and in our favor."
Iyer also offered high praise for the West Indies squad and their captain, Shai Hope, commending their outstanding performance. He acknowledged that the Caribbean batters maintained constant pressure on the Indian bowlers through excellent batting throughout the series. Iyer specifically lauded Hope's ability to mount a strong comeback following a defeat. Despite the missed series win, he expressed confidence in his team's approach, stating, "Our aggressive mindset remains intact and we will continue playing cricket in the same style."
Addressing the team's ongoing tours and continuous travel, Iyer noted, "For us, this is just a day like any other. Constant travel in India is not new, we have been doing it for a long time and the whole team is handling it very well." The Indian squad will now travel directly to New Zealand for their next assignment. The T20 series between India and New Zealand is scheduled to commence in New Zealand on October 22.
