Yadav dazzles as India wait on Rohit fitness after beating West Indies

India lost captain Rohit Sharma to a back injury but rallied to crush West Indies by seven wickets as Suryakumar Yadav took centre stage in the third T20I on Tuesday

Yadav was named the player of the match after hitting 76 from 44 balls to help India chase down the home side's 164-5 at Warner Park, Basseterre.

India reached 165-3 with six balls to spare, meaning they lead 2-1 in the five-match series, which concludes with two matches in the United States.

Yadav just pipped the performance of West Indies opener Kyle Mayers whose 73 from 50 deliveries was the key innings for the hosts, with four other batsmen reaching 20 but none going beyond 23.

India medium-pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar accounted for Mayers and West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran, who made 22, with a pair of top edges finding the gloves of Rishabh Pant.

Mayers' opening partner Brandon King made 20, Rovman Powell added 23 and Shimron Hetmyer also made 20, before India picked off their chase target.

A day after claiming the best T20I figures by a West Indies bowler, Obed McCoy could not find a breakthrough with the ball.

Indeed, the winning runs came off his bowling as Pant cracked a four from the final delivery of the 19th over. McCoy finished with 0-34.

India captain Rohit had retired after facing just five balls, victim of a back spasm, but said afterwards he hoped to be available for the fourth game, which takes place in Lauderhill, Florida, on Saturday.

Yadav, just like Mayers before him, hit eight fours and four sixes in his entertaining innings, finding support from Shreyas Iyer (24) and Pant (33 not out).

Suryakumar Yadav's half-century helps India win the third T20I and take a 2-1 lead in the series #WIvIND Scorecard: https://t.co/EI8EhnqwtY pic.twitter.com/nkClvueHA7

— ICC (@ICC) August 2, 2022

Setting a Basseterre best

This was the highest winning run chase in a T20I at the St Kitts ground, beating the 147-3 that West Indies posted when beating Afghanistan in 2017. Powell is the only man to have played in both that match and Tuesday's fixture.

Yadav turns on the style again... this time in a winning cause

It was only last month at Trent Bridge that Yadav scored his first T20I century, a stunning 117 from 55 balls against England. It came in vain as England won that match by 17 runs for a consolation victory as India took a 2-1 series success.

This time Yadav's second-highest score in the short format was one that set the platform for a better match outcome for India, and he will look to turn on the style again as the teams head to the US for their final two matches.