Abhishek Sharma's 69 from 30 deliveries at the top of the order laid the groundwork for a 14-run victory in the third T20I, lifting India to a 2-1 lead over the West Indies in the five-match series.

West Indies all-rounder Shamar Springer revealed that the touring party had mapped out a specific approach against the opener — one built on patience and restriction rather than direct confrontation, with the aim of keeping him to singles and the occasional two while cutting off the boundary opportunities he had been converting at a steady rate.

With ten boundaries — six fours and four sixes — forming the backbone of that knock, and a fifth six added to the tally, Abhishek's innings pushed his T20I half-century count to 14 while simultaneously carrying him to 2,000 runs in the format, a threshold he reached off fewer deliveries than any batter before him.

Forty-five runs from one batter and 108 from the other during a seventh-wicket partnership pushed India's innings to 223, a total the bowlers then defended by restricting the visitors to 209 for seven.

Faced with Abhishek's decision to play Roston Chase's off-spin rather than leave it, West Indies looked to adjust their tactics against the opening batter. Springer outlined the team's reasoning, noting that managing the situation defensively had taken precedence over pursuing an outright dismissal, and described the player as one of the top performers at his level.

Speaking to reporters after the match concluded, Springer described the approach as straightforward — pulling the opponent back while putting on a performance that left nothing wanting. The fallback approach, as described, centres on tight defending and forcing the opponent into short gains — singles and twos — while picking moments to run.

Pitch conditions reportedly favoured the batters, and the players involved had established their standing at the top of the game through a consistent record of performance. Springer noted that a defensive stance was one path he viewed as workable.

Abhishek moved into an early position of advantage, navigating the tactical arrangements that had been put in place against him. Springer's late assault — 35 runs from 11 deliveries, with four sixes and two boundaries — brought the touring side within range, yet a 14-run deficit proved too wide to close.

Abhishek noted that West Indies had devised a plan targeting his scoring areas, with Chase's opening spell as an off-spinner placing him under particular pressure — something that registered in his thinking, though he stopped short of calling it a preoccupation, framing it instead as a direct contest between the two of them.

Abhishek explained that his approach in the powerplay was shaped by the field placement rather than any predetermined targeting strategy, noting that he had initially given the bowler room out of respect for the bowler's strong form throughout the series, before adapting his game once the opposition's plan for him became clear. Each move arrived not from deliberate thought but from something closer to reflex, with the act of playing itself unfolding outside any conscious plan.

Abhishek noted that India's approach throughout the innings was shaped by an awareness that West Indies could shift the momentum at any point, pointing to the previous match as evidence that the batting conditions at the venue made it straightforward for incoming batters to take control — a reality that kept the team focused on not allowing any opening. Abhishek described a team approach built around sustained pressure after each wicket, one designed to leave the opposition without any foothold for a comeback.

Springer argued that West Indies left scoring opportunities unused, a view reinforced by a pitch that played lower than expected and suggested the final margin could have been narrower. The bowling unit's ability to assess and take advantage of the match-day conditions also drew acknowledgement.

A 14-run margin handed India the upper hand in the series, with the tally now standing at two wins to one.