India host West Indies at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, for the first T20I on Wed, 7 Oct at 12:30 am AEDT. The hosts have won their last three on home soil — all comprehensive chases against Afghanistan — while the visitors arrive off a nail-biter against Sri Lanka back in June. That five-month gap between starts jumps off the page, and it sets up a contest where recent momentum sits firmly in India's corner.
The head-to-head history is thin but telling: when these two met in March, India chased down 196 in the final over to pinch victory by four wickets. West Indies' last five shows a mixed bag — two wins and three losses, including that narrow defeat to India. The numbers say India are well positioned, but the Windies have proven they can push the hosts close.
Who will win?
India's recent record rates a big tick. Their last five overall features four wins and a draw, with those three consecutive home victories coming in rapid succession in mid-September. Each chase was clinical: 157/3 chasing 157 on 14 Sept, 163/3 chasing 160 two days later, then 221/7 hunting down 222 on 18 Sept. Coming off a draw against Afghanistan away on 28 Sept, the hosts have had time to reset and refocus.
West Indies posted 170/5 chasing 170 against Sri Lanka on 15 June — a last-ball win that showed composure under pressure. But they've been idle since, and that long layoff looms large. Their last five reads two wins, three losses, with the most recent defeat coming against these same opponents back in March when India's 199/5 overhauled their 195/4.
The head-to-head odds put India at short favourites, and it's hard to argue. The home side have won three straight in Lucknow-area conditions, and the Windies haven't played competitive cricket in nearly four months. India look the team to beat in this opener.
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