Kolkata: On one hand is the most consistent team in the last two years. On the other, a side that has reinvented the format, is precociously talented but equally combustible. Put them together in a virtual knockout game and we are talking about a T20 metaverse poised to produce a thriller.
Ten years ago, Wankhede bore the weight of a dream shattered into a billion pieces when a rampaging West Indies took down India’s 192 with four balls remaining. This time India are a much more hardened unit and West Indies equally flamboyant. Their passage too has been similar—heavy defeats to South Africa followed by dominating wins against Zimbabwe. On paper, there is very little to choose between them.
Yet only one side will go through from here. “I think the challenge is that they are a very good T20 side,” said India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate. “They possess power as good as any of the best teams in the world. And I guess what you know about the West Indies when they come to a T20 competition, they give absolutely everything. This is their moment, their big moment in their calendar. It’s a challenge we’re relishing. We’re going to fight fire with fire tomorrow. And I’m expecting a really good game out there.”
India arrives following a dominant batting display against Zimbabwe, piling up 256 for four—the highest total of this tournament so far. It validated their T20 template—fearless at the top, inventive in the middle and ruthless at the finish—in the most breathtaking fashion. Beneath that avalanche of runs though was a flicker of concern when Zimbabwe managed 184 in reply, exposing disconcerting frailties in India’s bowling execution. Against a far more explosive West Indies lineup, India can’t afford another slip-up.
To be fair, that slipup was a rare blip in an otherwise largely error-free bowling journey by India in the last two years. The batting confidence, however, has only been recently renewed. India are wary of that.
“You know, the bilateral series, you sort of rolled the batters out there and they got the job done every time. And I’ve alluded to it before, but the change in surfaces maybe took us a little while to adapt to how we’re going to play on different surfaces. But certainly in terms of where we are as a batting unit, you know, this is the time you really want to fire,” said ten Doeschate.
“So what happens in the early phase of the competition, in competition mode, you just want to make sure that when you do get to the back end to the crunch matches that everyone’s feeling good, everyone’s really confident in their plans and how they’re going to execute those plans. And I feel like we’re moving in the right way in terms of that. So good signs for the batters in the last game, but blank slates again tomorrow and it’s another chance to put our best foot out there and our best performance out there.”
If Sunday’s contest has a central theme, it is power versus precision. West Indies’ batting depth is formidable. From the top order to the lower middle, they boast hitters who thrive on pace and are adept at clearing even the longest boundaries. The likes of Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell bring brute force and finishing ability, while Shai Hope provides stability and calculated acceleration.
India’s bowlers, therefore, will need to blend discipline with variation. Early breakthroughs are imperative. Much responsibility will rest on the shoulders of Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh’s new-ball swing and late-over exploits. If they can disrupt West Indies in the Powerplay, India could dictate terms. If not, the evening could quickly become a boundary-laden spectacle. In the South Africa matches though rests a lesson for both sides. Even in defeat, West Indies showed resilience to claw back from a precarious position and post a competitive total. India, on the other hand, will hope and pray Ahmedabad was a one-off night.
Daren Sammy felt the Eden Gardens pitch looked dry, but this ground has a history of rewarding strokeplay. That suits India’s aggressive philosophy. The middle order, anchored by the inventive Suryakumar Yadav and the rejuvenated duo of Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar, holds the key. However, India’s vulnerability has occasionally surfaced when wickets fall early. West Indies will try to exploit that, particularly with Roston Chase who can turn the ball away from a predominantly left-handed Indian batting order.
Expect them to feed off the energy of Eden as well. Winning the 2016 T20 World Cup final here, starting their 2026 journey only to return for a win that would validate their verve for the game, West Indies would want to take Kolkata everywhere. This time though, Sammy knows Eden will turn up as India’s 12th man. “The mindset of the camp is good. I think it was here we started when I said I feel something special is about to happen,” said Sammy. “And I still believe that, you know, and let me see if my words come true tomorrow because we got to go through India in order to move on.”
