SportsPosted at: Oct 6 2026 6:41PM


First T20I: India opt to bowl as WI face new-look hosts

Lucknow, Oct 6 (UNI) India opted to bowl after winning the toss against a formidable West Indies side in the opening T20 International of the five-match series at the Ekana Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday, with both teams looking to set the tone for the contest.
Captain Shreyas Iyer said the decision was prompted by the nature of the pitch and the prospect of dew later in the evening.
“We are going to bowl first, it’s a mixed soil. There will be some dew as well,” Iyer said at the toss.
India have handed a T20I debut to allrounder Naman Dhir, who made his ODI debut against the West Indies on September 27. The youngster received his maiden T20I cap from Arshdeep Singh.
The hosts have opted for a combination that gives them considerable batting depth and six bowling options, while the inclusion of Mayank Yadav adds pace to the attack.
Iyer admitted India had little time to settle after arriving in Lucknow only on Monday night following a hectic travel schedule, but insisted the team was ready for the challenge.
The India skipper also sounded a note of caution about the visitors, pointing to West Indies' recent dominance in T20 cricket and their wealth of batting and allround talent.
“They have been fabulous, they have dominated T20 cricket in the last few years. They have got brilliant batting and all-rounders. Looking forward to the contest,” he said.
West Indies captain Shai Hope said his side would also have chosen to field first, underlining the value of chasing in Indian conditions.
“In India, it's always good to chase. We need to adapt to the conditions. It's different. We have new guys coming and some going out. We just got to play our best cricket,” Hope said.
Hope said the visitors have six bowling options, including several all-rounders, giving them flexibility as they look to unsettle the Indian batting lineup.
The match is also a landmark occasion for West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein, who is making his 100th T20I appearance.
With India introducing a new face in Dhir and West Indies banking on their established T20 pedigree, the opening game promises a test of India's adaptability against a side that has plenty of firepower in both departments.
Teams:
West Indies (Playing XI): Shai Hope(w/c), Kamil Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Matthew Forde, Roston Chase, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Springer, Shamar Joseph
India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer(c), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Naman Dhir, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Mayank Yadav
UNI BDN
Tags: #First T20I: India opt to bowl as WI face new-look hosts
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