India secured a hard-fought 14-run victory against the West Indies in the third T20I at the Holkar Stadium in Indore, moving ahead 2-1 in the five-match series. While the team total of 223/5 provided a strong foundation, a late-innings cameo from fast bowler
Yadav, who contributed 13 runs from just six deliveries, revealed after the match that his late flurry of boundaries—including three fours in the final over bowled by Shamar Joseph—was facilitated by a piece of equipment borrowed from teammate
A borrowed bat and a promise kept
Reflecting on his contribution, Yadav shared that the bat used during his late-innings surge was a gift from Sharma, who had jokingly warned him not to embarrass the equipment. Speaking to bcci.tv, Yadav noted, "Abhi bhaiya gave me his bat earlier and said, 'don't embarrass the bat'. So, I kept its honour." This is not the first time the pair has collaborated in this fashion; Yadav previously used the same bat during India's tour of Ireland, where he successfully cleared the boundary for a six.
Sharma, who praised Yadav’s natural power and ability to find the fence, suggested that fans should expect more batting contributions from the bowler in the future. He highlighted Yadav’s background in Delhi’s competitive "single phatti" circuit—a format involving one-on-one matches where players must excel at both batting and bowling. "He has that talent to hit sixes and fours. We saw a bit of it today, and we'll see more in future," Sharma remarked. Following the successful outing, the duo confirmed that the arrangement would continue, with Sharma agreeing to lend the bat for future matches.
Captain's praise for late-order impact
India captain Shreyas Iyer lauded the collective effort that led to the team's total of 223. During the post-match presentation, Iyer specifically highlighted the importance of the late runs provided by Yadav, noting that they were vital in ensuring India reached a commendable score after steadying the ship in the middle order. The victory gives India a significant advantage in the series, with two matches remaining to determine the final outcome.
