India vs West Indies (Super 8, March 1, 2026, Eden Gardens, Kolkata) – This match has now become a virtual quarter-final or do-or-die clash.
Match Details
- Date and Time: Sunday, March 1, 2026, 7:00 PM IST (kick-off).
- Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata – This stadium is like a home ground for India, and here, India have never lost a T20I against the West Indies (although this stat may be outdated, the fans are quite enthusiastic).
- Live Streaming/TV: JioHotstar (Online), Star Sports (TV).
- Match Number: Super 8 - Match 12 (or 52nd match of the tournament in some sources).
Points Table Situation (Super 8 Group 1 – So Far)
- South Africa: 2 matches, 2 wins, 4 points, NRR +2.890 - Qualified for the semi-finals.
- West Indies: 2 matches, 1 win, 1 loss, 2 points, NRR +1.791.
- India: 2 matches, 1 win, 1 loss, 2 points, NRR -0.100.
- Zimbabwe: 2 matches, 0 wins, 0 points, NRR -4.475 - Eliminated.
Why is this a knockout match Like?
Both teams have 2 points each, but West Indies has a much better NRR. The winner advances directly to the semi-finals (along with South Africa). The loser will be eliminated. If the match is washed out or there is no result: West Indies will advance because their NRR (+1.791) is much better than India's (-0.100). This would be the worst scenario for India – being eliminated without playing!
Team's Position and Preview
India Captain (Suryakumar Yadav): Made a brilliant comeback against Zimbabwe – scored 256/4 and won by 72 runs. Abhishek Sharma (55), Hardik Pandya (50*), Tilak Varma, and Arshdeep Singh (3/24) performed brilliantly. The team is now focusing on "fearless cricket." Surya has said that improvement in bowling is necessary, but confidence in batting is high. Home support will be available at Eden Gardens, which could be a big factor.
West Indies captain Shai Hope?: They lost to South Africa by 9 wickets, which was a big blow. But they had defeated Zimbabwe earlier. Their NRR is strong, and power hitting (like in the earlier matches) can help them score big. There is balance in both spin and pace, but the bowling looked weak against SA.
Pitch Report: The pitch at Eden Gardens is generally batting friendly, big shots are easy in the powerplay, but spinners are effective in the middle overs. The average first innings score is around 165-170. A high-scoring game is expected, but spin could play a role.
Weather Report: No major rain reports yet, but Kolkata can sometimes experience surprise showers in March – fans are praying the match is completed!
What to expect?
This will be a classic India vs West Indies match – power vs spin, experience vs youthful energy. India will need to win by a large margin to improve their NRR (but just winning is enough). Fans are hyped, tickets are selling fast, and Eden Gardens is about to be full.
This match has become the biggest high-stakes game of the tournament. If India wins, they will be in the semi-finals, otherwise their title defense is over!
