West Indies beat India 352 to 351 in their final match in India on October third, a result that caps a series of almost identical finishes between the two sides. By then you could see the pattern forming — three matches, each decided by a single run. The hosts had won one of those earlier encounters, but this time the visitors held their nerve.
India's recent run has been a mix of dominance and drama. They crushed Sri Lanka 169 to 45 on October first, then fell short against Pakistan 211 to 192 the following day. Before that came two narrow wins over West Indies, 406 to 405 and 300 to 295, both of which will live in memory longer than any comfortable victory.
West Indies have been running on similar margins all season. Their last three matches against New Zealand ended 269 to 268, 188 to 189 and 140 to 141 — each one a single-run margin. Against India they've now played four times in as many days, winning one, losing three, all in breathless fashion.
The earlier encounters in this series tell a story about both teams refusing to go away. India's 406 to 405 win on September thirtieth came just a day before this match, and West Indies turned it on again to repay the debt. The away end never stopped, even when the scoreboard suggested they'd already fallen behind.
What sticks with you isn't the arithmetic but the feeling that either side could have taken this. India put up 351, which should have been enough, but West Indies kept knocking on the door until the final delivery. The deal has stalled for India now, a sixth match in this form and they've lost three.
