WEST INDIES VS INDIA: 1ST T20 | TODAY'S CRICKET MATCH PREDICTION AND TOP FANTASY PICKS
A lot can change in 6 years. Back in March 2016, West Indies’ batting firepower blew the Indian cricket team away in a T20 World Cup semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Despite a magnificent knock from V. Kohli, India had no answers to the big hitting of L. Simmons and A. Russell.
In their last 10 T20Is against each other though, India have won 9. West Indies, world champions in 2012 and 2016, have the talent as they showed recently while beating Bangladesh 2-0 in the recent T20 series. But now, N. Pooran and his teammates have to find the consistency that has been missing in recent seasons.
India head into this series without several big names - Kohli, Bumrah and Chahal are all rested, while KL Rahul still isn’t fit enough to play. This almost certainly means that R. Pant will continue to open alongside captain R. Sharma as he did in the last 2 matches in England.
With the ball, R Ashwin has a chance to prove that he has the tricks to accompany Chahal in the World Cup squad. Both Kuldeep and Bishnoi would be considered back-up options when India are at full strength. Arshdeep, Avesh and, most notably, H. Patel, will also get chances to press their cases for World Cup selection.
Match Details
- Match: West Indies vs India 1st T20
- Venue: Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba, Trinidad
- Date & Time: July 29 2022, at 8 PM IST
- Live Streaming: FanCode App
WEST INDIES VS INDIA 1st T20 PROBABLE PLAYING XIs
West Indies
K. Mayers, S. Brooks, S. Hetmyer, N. Pooran (C & WK), R. Powell, J. Holder, O. Smith, K. Paul, A. Hosein, O. McCoy, A. Joseph
India
R. Sharma (C), R. Pant (WK), S. Iyer, S. Yadav, H. Pandya, D. Karthik, R. Jadeja, R. Ashwin, B. Kumar, A. Singh, R. Bishnoi
India vs West Indies T20 Head-to-head Record
Weather Report
The rain that disrupted the final ODI in Trinidad should stay away, and the temperature will be around 31°C at the start of play. In the afternoon, it may go as high as 33°C.
Ind vs WI 1st T20 Pitch Report
This is the first T20I to be played at a venue that was originally meant to be ready for the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean. The bowlers should enjoy the slow pitch conditions. In 30 domestic T20s played here, the average first-innings score is just 141 runs.
Toss
Of the Caribbean T20 League and other T20 matches played here over the years, 17 have been won by the team batting second. Teams batting first have won on 13 occasions.
TOP FANTASY PICKS FOR WI VS IND 1st T20 Match
Team West Indies
- N. Pooran scored 141 runs in the ODI series at an average of 47 and a strike rate of 104.44. He has scored 1301 runs from 52 T20I innings including 9 half-centuries His highest score of 74* came in West Indies’ last game against Bangladesh. Pooran’s last three T20I innings against India - 61, 62 and 61.
- K. Mayers has been decent at the top of the order for the West Indies. He is aggressive and has the ability to provide fast starts to the innings. In the ODI series, he made 114 runs and picked two wickets also. Mayers scored his maiden T20I fifty (55 runs) in the last T20 against Bangladesh at the start of this month.
- O. McCoy, who played for the Rajasthan team in the Indian T20 League, will be the one to watch out for in this West Indies pace attack. India have often struggled against left-arm pace, and McCoy has 22 wickets from the 15 T20s in which he has bowled.
Team India
- S. Iyer made consistent contributions with the bat in the just concluded ODI series. Iyer scored 161 runs in three innings at an average of 53.67 with two half-centuries. In the T20I format, he has scored 931 runs at a strike rate of 138.74.
- S. Yadav has been quiet with the bat on this tour so far. He has scored only 30 runs in the 3 ODIs. But the fortunes change in T20Is. He struck his first T20I century in England earlier this month, and his strike-rate after 17 innings is an incredible 177.22. His approach epitomizes a new-look and aggressive Indian side.
- B. Kumar took 4 for 25 from the 6 overs he bowled in the series win against England. He has taken 70 wickets in 68 T20Is at an economy rate of 6.92. After some lean seasons, he’s now very much part of India’s T20 World Cup plans.
WI VS IND 1st T20 SUGGESTED HOWZAT TEAM
- Wicketkeeper: N. Pooran
- Batters: S. Iyer, S. Yadav, R. Powell, K. Mayers
- All-rounders: H. Pandya, O. Smith
- Bowlers: B. Kumar, A. Singh, O. McCoy
- Captain: B. Kumar/S. Yadav
- Vice Captain: N. Pooran/K. Mayers
IND vs WI 1st T20 – HOWZAT Fantasy Team
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your own team from today’s fantasy match prediction and play all the fantasy cricket matches of the India Tour of West Indies 2022. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the team playing.
Download your favorite Howzat fantasy app and select your own team!
