Prince Yadav made a memorable contribution with the bat as India beat West Indies by 14 runs in the third T20 match in Indore. He came back to the playing XI for the match and made a late burst of boundaries that took him to a 15-year-old T20I record which was previously held by former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. His innings was very important as India took a 2-1 lead in the series.
Prince came in at No. 10 late in the innings and was attacking with his bat when India needed quick runs. He remained unbeaten on 13 in six deliveries and took on West Indies pacer Shamar Joseph in the final over. Prince struck three boundaries in that over, adding to India’s total and helping the hosts to a competitive 223.
Prince’s short but impactful innings also put him alongside some great names in Indian cricket history. By hitting at least three boundaries in an over while at No. 10 or No. 11 in a T20 International, he broke a record first set by S Sreesanth in 2007 and matched by Ashwin in 2011. The victory demonstrated Prince’s ability to contribute with the bat despite mainly being chosen for his bowling.
Sreesanth had achieved the feat against New Zealand in the first T20 World Cup in 2007. Four years later in 2011, Ashwin produced the same effort against England in a T20 match in Kolkata. Prince's late assault in Indore added his name to the elite of Indian bowlers who have made an impact with the bat in the closing overs of T20I innings.
Shreyas Iyer praised Prince Yadav's late cameo.
Shreyas Iyer appreciated Prince's contribution after the match and pointed out the runs scored towards the end of the innings. At the same time, Iyer added, India made strong runs even as wickets were lost and it was the contribution of the middle order that kept India going.
Iyer also cited Prince's cameo as an important addition to the total. In a game in which a few deliveries can decide the outcome, late hitting from the lower order can make a big difference. Prince’s three boundaries in the final over gave India additional runs and helped strengthen the pressure on the West Indies during the chase.
India's total of 223 provided the bowlers with a significant target to defend. The West Indies continued to play well during the course of the innings, but India managed a 14-run win to take the lead in the five-match series. Prince's innings were a perfect example of how lower-order runs can contribute in tense T20 matches.
Prince Goes Wicketless as India Seal Indore victory
Prince was included in the playing XI for the third T20I as a replacement for Kuldeep Yadav. His batting performance got much attention but he did not take a wicket with the ball. He finished with figures of 0/37 in his four-over stint, and his most notable contribution was during India's innings rather than while defending the target.
Mayank Yadav, who had impressed in the Ranchi T20I with three wickets, also went wicketless in Indore. But India’s bowling unit performed well, and the West Indies could not finish the chase against the attack.
Arshdeep Singh’s 3/44 was the best bowling performance for India, and he was named Player of the Match. One of his early successes was the dismissal of Shai Hope during the Powerplay. The wicket allowed India to make an early impact and put pressure on the visiting side.
The victory gave India a 2-1 lead in the series and provided the team with several positives to take forward. Arshdeep's wickets were crucial, and Prince's unexpected batting cameo proved the importance of contributions from the lower order.
Prince’s Indore match was remarkable not because of his bowling but for the fact that he made a short opportunity count with the bat. His 13 off six deliveries helped India get some late runs and brought him level with the record of Sreesanth and Ashwin. In a game in which momentum can change very fast, Prince’s late blitz became one of the memorable moments of India’s win.
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