Shreyas Iyer points to dew after India's bowlers fail to protect 249 in Ranchi

India's bowlers conceded 252 for 4 in 18.3 overs in Ranchi, with every one of the six who turned an arm over going at more than 11 an over

Shreyas Iyer pointed to the dew after India failed to protect 249 for 5 at the JSCA International Stadium Complex on Friday night, West Indies completing a six-wicket win with nine balls unused.

The defeat levels the five-match series at 1-1, and the sides move to Indore for the third T20I on Sunday.

India had three wickets inside the first six overs of the chase and still lost comfortably, Axar Patel going for 63 from 3.3 overs and Kuldeep Yadav for 53 from four.

Every bowler goes for more than 11 an over

Mayank Yadav was the pick of the attack with 3-36 from three overs, and even that came at 12 an over.

Axar's 3.3 overs cost 63, an economy of 18, and he was bowling when the winning runs were struck. Kuldeep finished with 1-53 from his four.

Arshdeep Singh was the most economical of the six, and he still went at 11.25, taking none for 45. Shivam Dube conceded 30 from two overs and Naman Dhir 25 from two.

West Indies scored at 13.62 an over for the innings, and did not need the last nine balls of it.

A powerplay start that counted for nothing

Mayank removed Kamil Pooran and then bowled Shimron Hetmyer first ball, leaving West Indies 5 for 2 after four deliveries of the chase.

When he came back to bowl Rovman Powell for 24 in the sixth over, the visitors were 58 for 3 and still 192 short.

Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford then added 120 for the fourth wicket. Rutherford had made 84 from 37 balls when he fell in the 15th over, with the target all but gone.

Hope finished unbeaten on 102 from 45 balls and Romario Shepherd on 34 from 13.

Iyer points to the dew

"Honestly speaking, you cannot put a number to it, because when the dew factor comes in, it plays a massive role," Iyer said at the presentation.

He also described the surface as one that punished anything off line or length, saying "the margin for error on this wicket is very minor" and that any minor error was going into the stands.

Iyer did not dispute the manner of the chase. "But credit where it's due, they batted amazing, and yeah, kudos to them," he said.

Of Mayank's spell, the India captain said: "Those three crucial wickets, it was something that stabilised the rhythm for us up ahead."

The batting was not where the game was lost

Sanju Samson made 82 from 41 balls with nine fours and four sixes after West Indies won the toss and chose to field.

Ishan Kishan contributed 43 from 22 and Iyer 40 from 18, before Tilak Varma closed the innings unbeaten on 44 from 18 balls.

Roston Chase, with 3-24 from four overs, was the only bowler on either side to go at less than seven an over.

"Both were phenomenal in their departments, and this is what we look for every now and then from Sanju and Abhishek," Iyer said of Samson and his opening partner, who made 20 from 12.

Three matches left to settle it

The series resumes at Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday, with matches in Hyderabad and Bengaluru to follow.

India's selection questions are now at the bowling end rather than the top of the order, with Axar and Kuldeep both having been taken apart on a surface that offered them nothing.

Scorecard: India 249 for 5 in 20 overs (Samson 82, Tilak Varma 44*, Kishan 43; Chase 3-24) lost to West Indies 252 for 4 in 18.3 overs (Hope 102*, Rutherford 84; Mayank Yadav 3-36) by six wickets.

Catch the match live updates, highlights, and full match coverage on CricRadio. Get fast, accurate, and ad-free updates throughout the game. Download the CricRadio app from the Play Store to stay connected. You can also get the live scores of cricket series directly on the CricRadio website for real-time coverage.