On This Day: Evin Lewis’ Blazing Century and KL Rahul’s Heroics in India’s Heartbreaking 1-Run Loss at Lauderhill

Both teams showcased their power-hitters and fought hard in a battle filled with sixes, boundaries, and dramatic moments. In the end, West Indies managed to hold their nerve and clinched victory by just 1 run, despite India’s spirited chase. It remains one of the most memorable T20 encounters between the two sides.

India vs West Indies: 1st T20 on August 27, 2016

After winning the toss, India chose to bowl first in this exciting T20 match against West Indies in Lauderhill on August 27, 2016. What followed was a batting masterclass from the West Indies, who smashed their way to a huge 245 for 6 in their 20 overs. It was a day when their batsmen, led by Evin Lewis and Johnson Charles, took the Indian bowlers apart with some incredible hitting.

Right from the start, the West Indies meant business. Johnson Charles and Evin Lewis opened the batting, and they were in no mood to hang around. Charles was on fire, blasting 79 runs off just 33 balls. He hit 6 fours and 7 sixes, racing to a fifty in only 20 balls. His partner, Lewis, was just as aggressive but played a slightly longer game. Together, they put on a massive 126 runs for the first wicket in just 9.3 overs. They reached 50 runs in only 25 balls and zoomed past 100 in 46 balls, with Charles scoring 59 and Lewis adding 40. The powerplay was a nightmare for India, as West Indies piled on 78 runs without losing a wicket.

Charles finally got out in the 10th over, bowled by Mohammed Shami, but Lewis kept going like a man possessed. He brought up his fifty in 25 balls, smashing 4 fours and 3 sixes. Then, with Andre Russell at the other end, they kept the runs coming. The pair added 78 runs for the second wicket, with Russell chipping in with a quick 22 off 12 balls, hitting a four and two sixes. Lewis reached his hundred in just 48 balls, a stunning knock with 5 fours and 9 sixes, but he fell soon after, caught off Ravindra Jadeja’s bowling in the 16th over. By then, West Indies had crossed 200 runs in 15.1 overs, and the Indian bowlers were looking shell-shocked.

After Lewis’ exit, Kieron Pollard and Carlos Brathwaite kept the scoreboard ticking. Pollard made 22 off 15 balls, including two sixes, while Brathwaite, the captain, scored 14 off 10 balls before getting run out in the 19th over. The final overs saw a couple of quick wickets as Jasprit Bumrah got Pollard and Lendl Simmons in quick succession, but West Indies didn’t slow down much. Dwayne Bravo (1 not out) and Marlon Samuels (1 not out) were there at the end, finishing things off. The team hit 12 fours and 21 sixes in total, with 6 extras (4 wides, 2 no-balls) helping their cause.

India’s bowlers had a tough day. Mohammed Shami took 1 wicket but gave away 48 runs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar couldn’t find a breakthrough and leaked 43 runs. Jasprit Bumrah got 2 wickets but went for 47 runs. Ravichandran Ashwin was tidy, giving away 36 runs without a wicket, while Ravindra Jadeja picked up 2 big wickets (Lewis and Russell) for 39 runs. Stuart Binny had a day to forget, getting smashed for 32 runs in just one over. The Indian bowlers couldn’t find a way to stop the West Indies’ aggressive batting, and the massive total of 245 put India in a tough spot for the chase.

The West Indies innings was all about power and precision. Lewis’ century was the highlight, but Charles’ quickfire 79 set the tone. They kept the run rate at a crazy 12.25 runs per over, hitting boundaries and sixes at will. They reached 150 runs in 10.3 overs and 200 in 15.1 overs, showing how relentless they were. Even when they lost wickets toward the end, they never let the scoring slow down too much, setting up a thrilling second half.

After the first innings, India faced a massive challenge chasing 246 runs to beat West Indies. They gave it everything, finishing at 244 for 4, just one run short of the target. It was a heart-pounding chase, with KL Rahul’s brilliant unbeaten century and solid knocks from Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni keeping India in the fight until the very last ball. India’s chase started with Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane at the crease.

Rahane got going slowly, making 7 off 7 balls before Andre Russell got him out, caught by Dwayne Bravo in the third over. Virat Kohli came in but didn’t last long, scoring 16 off 9 balls before getting caught by wicketkeeper Andre Fletcher off Bravo’s bowling in the fifth over. India were 48 for 2, but the powerplay gave them 67 runs, keeping them in the game. Rohit Sharma was playing a blinder, racing to 50 off 22 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes. He teamed up with KL Rahul, and the two added 89 runs for the third wicket, taking India to 100 runs in 8.3 overs.

KL Rahul was the star of the show, playing with confidence and flair. He reached his fifty off 26 balls, hitting 7 fours and a six, and kept India’s hopes alive. Rohit fell for 62 off 28 balls in the 12th over, caught by Johnson Charles off Kieron Pollard’s bowling, leaving India at 137 for 3. MS Dhoni walked in, and he and Rahul put on a massive 107-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Dhoni played smartly, letting Rahul take charge while adding crucial runs himself. India crossed 150 in 12.6 overs and hit 200 in 16.2 overs, with Rahul’s brilliant strokeplay keeping the required run rate in check.

Rahul brought up his century in the 19th over, finishing unbeaten on 110 off 51 balls, with 12 fours and 5 sixes. One of his best moments was a beautiful cover drive for four off Russell, followed by a six to reach his maiden T20I hundred. Dhoni scored 43 off 25 balls, hitting 2 fours and 2 sixes, playing his classic finisher role. Their partnership crossed 50 runs in 22 balls and 100 in 43 balls, giving India a real shot at the target.

The 19th over, bowled by Andre Russell, was a big one. India needed 24 runs off the last 12 balls. Russell gave away 16 runs, including a wide, a four, and a six from Rahul, who was in top form. Dhoni added a single, and Rahul’s two twos made it 8 runs needed off the final over. Dwayne Bravo came on to bowl, and it was tense. The first ball saw Marlon Samuels drop a simple catch off Dhoni, giving India a single.

Rahul could only manage a single next, and a leg bye followed. With 5 runs needed off the last three balls, Bravo bowled a perfect yorker, and Dhoni got two runs. Another single left India needing 2 off the last ball. Bravo bowled a slower ball, and Dhoni, trying to guide it for two, edged it to Samuels, who held on this time. Dhoni was out, and India finished one run short at 244 for 4.

West Indies’ bowlers had a tough job defending 245. Russell gave away 53 runs for his one wicket, while Bravo’s 2 for 37, especially his clutch final over, won the game. Carlos Brathwaite and Sunil Narine were expensive, giving away 47 and 50 runs without wickets. Samuel Badree went for 25 without success, and Pollard took 1 for 30. Rahul’s century and Dhoni’s cool-headed batting almost got India over the line, but Bravo’s nerve in the last over sealed a thrilling one-run win for West Indies.