West Indies will lock horns with India in the first T20I at the Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba, Trinidad on Thursday. With the next T20 World Cup almost 10 months away, both teams will be looking to find answers to what kind of combination they can play when the T20I showpiece will kick off in the Caribbean on 4th June 2024.
We look at the current form, head-to-head, players to look out for, and squads of both teams in our match preview.
Current form of West Indies: W L W L W
West Indies won their previous T20I series against South Africa by 2-1 but they had failed to qualify for the Super 12 stage in the T20 World Cup. The Windies were a force to reckon with in the shortest format of the game but they have veered off the track in the last couple of years.
Current form of India: W W L W L
India had registered series wins against New Zealand and Sri Lanka while playing at home earlier in the year and they will look to carry the good show against the West Indies. The young players will be tested and they will look to leave a mark at the top level.
Head to Head: Matches: 25, Won by India: 17, Won by WI: 7, No result: 1.
India clearly holds the advantage against West Indies in the H2H battle.
Players to look out for: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Arshdeep Singh, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Kuldeep Yadav, and Hardik Pandya will hold the key for the visitors.
Nicholas Pooran, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Kyle Mayers, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer, Alzarri Joseph, Rovman Powell, and Romario Shepherd are going to hold the key for the home team.
West Indies squad for T20I series against India: Rovman Powell (capt), Kyle Mayers (vice-capt), Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Obed McCoy, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Oshane Thomas.
India’s T20I squad: Ishan Kishan (wk), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Surya Kumar Yadav (VC), Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya (C), Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.
