India vs West Indies, 3rd T20I at Kolkata, IND v WI, Feb 20 2022 - Match Result

All right then, West Indies came and competed, and you wonder if the Sri Lanka series starts even before the former take the flight back home. But thanks for your company throughout this tour, as we bid goodbye tonight. This is Himanshu signing off on behalf of Saurabh and Chandan! Stay safe, and take care.

Raj: "@Rakesh: You can add both Jadeja and Harshal and make it 8"

Iqbal: "I have been following matches on Cricinfo since 2004 but never got my comment published. How much loyal one can be to get his comment published? Not fair Cricinfo" --- All we were doing was testing your loyalty for 18 years. And guess what, you've passed the exam with full marks.

India's captain lifts the trophy, and then moves over to his team-mates, who are waiting already. Rohit hands over the trophy to debutant Avesh, and they are all smiles.

Finally, Rohit Sharma - after sweeping 3-0 again - is here: "For us as a team - whether we chase or bat first - we have a challenge. We just want to keep improving. Our middle order is relatively new. We just wanted to tick the boxes. Happy with the series. I think we got what we wanted from this series. [Inexperience in the side] is one thing we spoke of. We are a good chasing team. Lot of guys are missing from the squad. There are different challenges when you bat first. It was important to get something out of the way. Guys getting the team out of difficult situations - that's what we wanted. Good signs for us as a group. The biggest takeaway in the ODI series was the middle order batting and making it count. I was [also] very impressed with our seam bowling. Even here, Avesh was on debut, Harshal hasn't played too many games and Thakur hasn't been playing consistently. It was a good challenge for us to defend in both games, and we did well. [For the Sri Lanka series] We wanted to make sure guys are fresh. With the World Cup, we want to make sure guys get game time. I will not look at the opposition, I will look at what we have to do as a team. Hopefully we tick the box of ground fielding and catching as well."

Double blow! Suryakumar Yadav is the Player of the Match and the Player of the Series: "Just wanted to replicate what I did in the first game. It was important to stay till the end when Rohit got out. We had a chat in our team meetings as well as to how we are going to react in such situations. I'm just trying to repeat the same things which I have been doing in the last few games... whenever the situation arrives, I try to stay there till the end. Be a little harsh on yourself in the nets, that's it!"

West Indies captain Pollard is first to speak: "We were in the game until the 15th over. We got a good start - 70-odd after seven or eight overs - and we weren't able to capitalise. In this T20 series, Nicholas showed his consistency. Rovman Powell showing that he wants to be a part and parcel of the white-ball teams. Coming to India is always going to be difficult. We had an opportunity to win the ODI series as well. These guys are finding their feet... Looking forward to what the future holds. From our T20 perspective, we had the experience but didn't get the job done. With the World Cup eight months away, the more cricket these guys play, the better they are going to get."

Now here come the presentations

Rakhesh: "India's top 6 done and dusted. Rohit, Rahul, Kohli, Pant, SKY and Venky"

Siddhesh: "@Hari: On the flip side feel like India didn't get the backup openers they were looking for in case Rohit / Rahul are out injured. "

Hari: "The good news for India is that the middle order bailed them out everytime and Venky Iyer very nearly has sealed Hardik's spot"

Harshal: "The ball was holding on to the wicket. We wanted to keep it fuller. We had that conversation that we wanted to bowl fuller on this wicket. What is your go-to delivery is key. Just focusing on execution rather than what the batsman is going to do. There was a bit of dampness in the wicket because of the weather today because there was no sun [out] today. That made it a little difficult to bowl. Apart from that, there wasn't a lot of dew."

Thakur: "I think this is the best I have bowled in the death overs. I have done it for CSK, but doing for India is a big thing. You have to be ready to use your variations. Batsmen will swing in the death overs. You have to be mentally tough. If he hits a six, you let it go. The next ball is important. The basic idea was to bowl wide yorkers from my end. The line has to be a wider line because of the field. If they hit in the gap, that's fine - they are here to play."

Time for a chat with India's death-over bowlers

Sriram: "Venkatesh Iyer is also a contender for MoM" --- A contender, yes, but...

Afeef: "Surya or Harshal - who should be given the Player of the Match award?" --- I would give it to Surya, his innings just turned the screw big time.

10.49pm Yet another match where West Indies threatened to take it away, only for them to slip and hand it back to India. The winning margin doesn't really indicate how close it was at one stage, as India's death bowling led by Harshal helps complete another clean sweep. West Indies started the chase in a hurry, but again their middle order failed to deliver. A lack of contributions from their batters has been the damaging thing for them on this tour, and again that proves decisive.

Walsh on strike now, after Allen thought he would be. Thakur over the stumps.

Mayank: "India scored whopping 42 runs in last 2 overs. This made all the difference"

Nazir: "Whattttt an over from H. Patel....!!! "

New man Drakes on strike. Thakur from over the wicket.

Rakesh: "18.1 should have been deposited in the Sea. Missed out on a rank bad ball." --- The Ganges is not far away from Eden after all...

This over could virtually decide the match. Harshal into his last.

Sheldon Smith: "No worries. West Indies Number 11 batsman won the CPL Finals with his bat. Game still alive" --- 31 off 12 sounds very difficult though.

And more sawdust comes, as Rohit observes his team-mates slipping perhaps because of a wet outfield.

Allen the new man in, but off strike for now

37 from 18. Thakur returns. Over the stumps to Pooran.

Raja Muthu: "3 overs left out of which Thakur will bowl two....So it all depends on Thakur vs Pooran"