WI vs IND – 1st T20i Prediction 24 Apr 2023

The first match of the five-match T20I series between Team India and West Indies will kick off at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad on Thursday.

• Recently, India emerged victorious in the three-match ODI series against West Indies, securing a 2-1 win, with the final match also taking place at the same venue.
• As the co-hosts of the 2024 T20 World Cup, West Indies, a two-time T20 World Cup champion, will aim to establish their dominance in the lead-up to the tournament.
• In contrast, India has a dominant track record in T20I clashes against West Indies, having won 17 out of the 25 encounters between the two teams so far.

WI vs IND – 1st T20I – Venue Details

Venue: Brian Lara Stadium, Trinidad

Date: August 3rd 2023

Time: 20:00 (IST)

WI vs IND – 1st T20I – Team Previews

West Indies

Having faced defeats in the Test and ODI series, the two-time T20 World Cup winners, West Indies, are determined to turn their fortunes around in the format they excel in the most. It has been a while since West Indies last secured a T20I series victory against India, dating back to 2017, making them eager to break their series victory drought, especially against a relatively young and inexperienced Indian side.

Nicholas Pooran’s inclusion in the West Indies side is significant, given his impressive century in the inaugural Major League Cricket in the USA. Shai Hope’s recent form will also play a key role, as he showcased his batting prowess with a half-century in West Indies’ lone win during the series in the 2nd ODI.

Shimron Hetmyer makes his return to the T20 side after a year, impressing during IPL 2023. However, his recent form raises questions, having managed only 24 runs across three innings. All-rounder Kyle Mayers could prove to be a valuable addition, considering his promising performances in T20s during the IPL.

India

Hardik Pandya will step up as the designated captain for the T20s, with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma continuing to be absent from the international T20 scene since the last World Cup.

Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill are under the spotlight, having scored runs recently, including half-centuries at the same venue. This raises questions about Yashasvi Jaiswal’s spot in the team, unless Ishan takes up the No. 3 batting position and Suryakumar Yadav occupies No. 4. While Jaiswal didn’t make a significant impact in the ODI formats, he has a different prowess in T20s.

Regarding the bowling unit, Kuldeep Yadav is expected to be the lone specialist spinner ahead of Yuzvendra Chahal, considering Kuldeep’s impressive performance with seven wickets in three ODIs, while Chahal is yet to feature on the tour. Mukesh Kumar’s three-wicket haul impressed, and he might earn his T20 international debut, as India is likely to field three pacers.

WI vs IND – 1st T20I – Probable Playing XI’s

India: S Gill, Y Jaiswal, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, H Pandya (Cap), Suryakumar Yadav, A Patel, K Yadav, YV Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, M Kumar

West Indies: B King, K Mayers, Shai Hope (wk), Nich Pooran, S Hetmyer, R Powell (Cap), R Chase, J Holder, R Shepherd, A Hosein, Oshane Thomas

WI vs IND – 1st T20I – Pitch Report and Toss Prediction

The venue has hosted just one T20I match so far between India and West Indies. India batted first and put up a formidable total of 190. In response, West Indies struggled and managed to reach only 122. Spinners had a memorable performance during that match, and they are expected to relish bowling once more in the upcoming game.

WI vs IND – 1st T20I – Win Prediction

An inexperienced India side is still the favourite to claim the win against the West Indies.