The closely fought five-match T20I series between West Indies and India is set to conclude on Sunday (August 13).
After being 0-2 down in the series, India have managed to take the contest into the decider with a terrific performance in the last couple of outings. Moreover, they have momentum and a brilliant record in Florida with them as well.
Will West Indies be able to hit back and win the T20I series? Read below our WI vs IND prediction.
West Indies will be clearly ruing an opportunity to win the series before the decider in the last two matches.
They have squandered a 2-0 lead in the series and will have to play their best cricket to have any chance of making it 3-2 in the decider. Meanwhile, India will be confident of sealing the series now with momentum on their side. Moreover, they have now won their last five matches in Florida.
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WI vs IND 5th T20I match preview
West Indies
West Indies made as many as three changes in the fourth T20I bringing in Shai Hope, Jason Holder and Odean Smith at the expense of Johnson Charles, Roston Chase and Alzarri Joseph respectively. Clearly, things didn’t go according to plan for them.
But skipper Rovman Powell will be keen on not making wholesale changes after a crushing loss. Perhaps, Shai Hope did well to score 45 runs off just 29 balls while Shimron Hetmyer returned to form smashing 61 runs.
Holder is always an asset in any format given his all-round skills. However, Joseph might return to bolster their bowling attack after they could pick only a solitary wicket while defending 179.
Either Odean Smith or Romario Shepherd might make way for him. The rest of the side is expected to remain the same.
Series Tied at 2! WI go to a decider tomorrow in the Kuhl Stylish Fans T20I Series powered by Black & White.#WIHOME #WIvIND #KUHLT20 pic.twitter.com/eBYwSkxJNk
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) August 12, 2023
West Indies Possible 11: Kyle Mayers, Brandon King, Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran (WK), Rovman Powell (C), Shimron Hetmyer, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Odean Smith/Alzarri Joseph, Akeal Hosein, Obed McCoy.
India
Finally, India’s opening pair clicked for the first time since the T20 World Cup 2022. India had tried three different opening pairs in the last 10 months or so – Ishan Kishan-Shubman Gill, Kishan-Rishabh Pant, and Yashasvi Jaiswal-Gill.
But until the fourth T20I, the opening partnership had averaged only 13.81 in 11 T20Is for them with 36 being the highest.
But in the last game, Jaiswal and Gill put on a record 165 for the opening wicket, making it the joint-second-highest opening stand for India in T20Is.
t goes without saying that the Men in Blue will be definitely not making any changes to their winning playing XI.
But death bowling remains a concern as the visitors conceded 57 runs in the last five overs despite having control over the run-scoring of the opposition until then.
Though they have the likes of Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi and Umran Malik in the ranks, it is unlikely that there will be any change in the bowling attack either.
Yashasvi Jaiswal scored his maiden T20I half-century & bagged the Player of the Match award as #TeamIndia sealed a clinical win over West Indies in the 4th T20I. 🙌 🙌
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 12, 2023
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/kOE4w9Utvs #WIvIND pic.twitter.com/xscQMjaLMb
India Playing 11: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (C), Sanju Samson (WK), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mukesh Kumar
Pitch and Expected Weather Conditions
The surface in Florida was an absolute featherbed for the batsmen in the last game.
With the same pitch expected to be used, expect similar conditions on offer yet again. Winning the toss and batting first might not be the straightforward decision now after the way India chased down 179 without much fuss.
However, weather can also affect their decision-making with the forecast of a 30% chance of rain from 10 AM to 1 PM on Sunday (August 13). This will lead to some humidity as well which might trouble the players in the middle.
WI vs IND 5th T20I Dream11 prediction
Our WI vs IND Dream11 prediction for this match:
Nicholas Pooran is once again due to perform in crunch situations for West Indies.
The man started the T20I series well but has tapered off in the last couple of matches. Come the decider, the left-hander will be itching to get going. Hope played well to score 45 in the fourth T20I and cannot be ignored.
The batting category is filled with Indian players thanks to their form. Openers Jaiswal and Gill are coming off scintillating knocks while Surya hit a brilliant 83 off 44 balls in the third game and can never be kept out of the Dream11 Fantasy team.
As for Tilak, the youngster is a good prospect and at four, he will also give crucial points.
Among all-rounders, Holder and Hardik are picked as they can give points across all disciplines.
Kuldeep and Arshdeep have been the wicket-takers for India. There is an option of going with Yuzvendra Chahal as he has been brilliant. But we have gone with Obed McCoy who could be useful at the death if the West Indies bowl first.
WI vs IND 5th T20I match prediction: India to win
Our WI vs IND match prediction is that Hardik Pandya’s men will win the series by a 3-2 margin despite losing the first two matches. It is a great chance to win a rare T20I series but they are certainly not the favourites with the way team India won the last game.
WI vs IND toss prediction: IND to win the toss and bowl first
Our WI vs IND toss prediction: Rovman Powell opted to bat first after winning the toss in the fourth T20I. But looking at the way the pitch played, no captain would want to give away the advantage of batting second. So it goes without saying that the side that wins the toss will opt to bowl first.
Man of the match prediction: Suryakumar Yadav
This is no surprise. Surya is India’s asset and clearly, one more big innings is certainly yet to come off his bat irrespective of whether his team is chasing or setting a score.
He turns beast when it comes to the shortest format and his 83-run knock in the third T20I was a testament to that. Expect Surya to win the Player of the Match in the fifth and final T20I of the series.
WI vs IND betting odds
The odds are clearly in India’s favour. India are the favourites to seal the series as well. They literally thumped chasing decent scores in the last two outings.
But one would take the West Indies lightly at their own peril. They are two-time World Champions in the shortest format and are expected to come hard at the visitors.
