West Indies’ Jason Holder during a practice session at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on February 28, 2026.
| Photo Credit: K.R. Deepak
The City of Joy is mourning the loss of one of its favourite writers, Sankar. Add to it the earthquake that struck the metropolis on Friday (February 28, 2026). Even if there were no casualties, the worry was real. Within this theatre, the Men in Blue hope to provide cheer as they take on the West Indies at the historic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday night (February 28, 2026).
The ICC T20 World Cup’s Super Eight Group 1 fixture is a virtual knockout, as the winner would sail into the semifinals. Decades ago, a limited-overs clash between India and the West Indies would often swing the latter’s way even if Kapil’s Devils won the 1983 World Cup after stunning Clive Lloyd’s men.
Cut to the present, India has a domineering aura, and after the defeat against South Africa, it found its moorings in the game involving Zimbabwe. The playing XI may be identical to the one in Chennai. With openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson laying a base against Zimbabwe, a factor that went missing in the earlier outings, India wants an encore from the men atop the batting tree.
With Ishan Kishan stepping in at three and captain Suryakumar Yadav in at four, the alternating left-right combinations can test rival attacks. It was a pattern that stretched further down with Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma bolstering the middle-order. The bowling, meanwhile, has largely been on the mark, even if an odd blip such as Shivam Dube’s meltdown happened.
The defending champion would still be wary of the West Indies. The men from the Caribbean played twice here during this championship and got past Scotland and Italy. The calypso lovers would also draw heart from history. In the 2016 final at the same venue, Carlos Brathwaite hit Ben Stokes for four successive sixes in the final over, and Ian Bishop went ecstatic in the commentary box.
Among the current lot, batters like Shimron Hetmyer and captain Shai Hope can soar. The exposure to the Indian Premier League has also helped many in the rival outfit to be clued into the local conditions.
Head-to-head, India has won 19 and lost 10 against the West Indies. As the tournament enters its final stretch, the host would want to extend its dominant run.
This historic eastern urban sprawl had made foreigners like Dominique Lapierre and Steve Waugh feel comfortable here; India, though, wouldn’t want the West Indians to feel at home. The stakes are too high.
Published – February 28, 2026 07:35 pm IST
