T20 World Cup: India meet West Indies in virtual quarter-final
What's the story
India will take on West Indies in the last Super 8 clash of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. The match, which is a virtual quarter-final, will be played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Sunday. While the winner will advance to the semi-finals, the loser will get knocked out. Here we look at the preview of the upcoming game.
Team dynamics
India coming off a win; West Indies still searching
India come into the match after a convincing 72-run victory over Zimbabwe in Chennai. On the other hand, West Indies are still grappling with their inconsistency after being defeated by South Africa. Notably, India and West Indies have had an identical run in this tourney. Both teams won each of their four games in the group stage. The Super 8 game saw them lose to South Africa but register massive wins against Zimbabwe.
Venue advantage
Will Eden Gardens favor India's style of play?
West Indies have the edge of experience at Eden Gardens, having played two games here earlier in the tournament. They know how fast the outfield can be once the ball goes through, how straight boundaries can be inviting for big hits, and how it can swing early under lights. India, on the other hand, will be playing their first match at this venue in this World Cup.
Match conditions
Pitch report and conditions
The pitch at Eden Gardens is expected to be even-paced and conducive to stroke-play. The surface has been consistent with bounce and carry throughout the World Cup, which should help fast bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah early on. However, spinners may find good grip and turn as the match progresses into the middle overs. The match, which will get underway at 7:00pm IST, will be broadcasted on JioStar Network Channels and live-streamed on JioHotstar (App & Website).
Team strategies
India's bowling balance versus West Indies's batting explosiveness
India's campaign has been about finding balance, especially in their bowling composition. Against a team like West Indies, who thrive on momentum, those middle overs can be crucial. Meanwhile, West Indies are known for their explosive batting style that comes in bursts. They have shown maturity by resisting the temptation to keep swinging and allowing the game to settle before re-accelerating on their terms.
H2H
Here's the head-to-head record
As per ESPNcricinfo, these two sides have faced each other 30 times in T20I cricket. India have won 19 while the West Indies have emerged victorious on 10 occasions (NR: 1). Coming to their record in T20 WCs, Team India has a solitary win and three defeats against WI. The Eden Gardens has hosted four IND-WI T20Is in the past. The Men in Blue prevailed in all of these fixtures.
XIs
Here are the playing XIs
India probable XI: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy. West Indies probable XI: Brandon King, Shai Hope (wk/c), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph
Performers
Here are the key performers
Suryakumar Yadav's 213 runs in this edition have come at an average of 42.60 and a strike rate of 138.31. Jasprit Bumrah's 2026 T20 WC tally reads seven wickets from five games (ER: 5.62). Shimron Hetmyer's T20I strike rate in 2026 is a stunning 183.80. Moreover, the average is over 45. With 10 scalps at an economy of 7.75, Gudakesh Motie is WI's leading wicket-taker in this edition.
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