A breathtaking spell of pace bowling from Keemo Paul turned the contest decisively in favor of West Indies during the fourth T20 International at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on October 14. Delivering with precision and aggression, Paul dismantled the hosts with figures of 5 for 41. His match-winning effort powered West Indies to a 24-run victory over India, leveling the five-match series at 2-2 heading into the finale.
A Historic First on Indian Soil
Paul's five-wicket burst etched his name into the annals of international cricket as he became the first bowler in history to capture a five-wicket haul against India on Indian soil in men's T20 Internationals. Never before had an opposing bowler reached the five-wicket milestone against the home side in this format within India.
Before Paul's breakthrough in Hyderabad, the benchmark for the best bowling figures against India in a home T20I belonged to Mitchell Santner of New Zealand. During the 2016 T20 World Cup fixture in Nagpur, Santner had ripped through the batting lineup with figures of 4 for 11. Paul has now officially surpassed that long-standing record by claiming five wickets while conceding 41 runs.
Several other international bowlers have produced remarkable four-wicket spells against India in India. Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus recorded figures of 4 for 20 in New Delhi in 2026. Australian left-arm quick Jason Behrendorff picked up 4 for 21 in Guwahati back in 2017, and South African fast bowler Marco Jansen claimed 4 for 22 in Ahmedabad in 2026.
Second Career Five-For and Elite Pace Milestone
Paul's victims on the night formed the backbone of the Indian batting order: Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Prince Yadav, and Axar Patel. Each dismissal dealt a major blow to India's pursuit of the target, snuffing out momentum at critical junctures of the chase.
This performance marked the second time Paul has collected five wickets in a T20 International innings. His maiden five-wicket haul arrived in 2022 against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur. With this latest display, Paul joins a very exclusive group of fast bowlers from Test-playing nations who have registered multiple five-wicket hauls in T20I cricket, becoming just the sixth pacer from a full-member nation to achieve the feat.
Joining Obed McCoy in West Indies Record Books
Within West Indies cricket, Paul has become only the second bowler to take five wickets in a T20 International against India. The only other West Indian to do so is left-arm seamer Obed McCoy, who delivered a sensational spell of 6 for 17 at Warner Park in Basseterre during the 2022 tour. McCoy continues to hold the record for the best overall bowling figures by a West Indian against India, with Paul now firmly occupying second place on that illustrious leaderboard.
