India will take on West Indies in a must-win match in Kolkata on Sunday, with a place in the T20 World Cup semifinals at stake. It is almost like a quarterfinal — the team that wins will move into the last four, while the losing side will be knocked out.
Both India and the West Indies have two points from two matches in the Super 8 stage. Each team has beaten Zimbabwe but lost to South Africa. That makes this final group game extremely important for both sides, as they still have a strong chance of reaching the semifinals.
South Africa has already secured their place in the semis. However, if they lose to Zimbabwe, there is still a possibility for India or the West Indies to finish at the top of the group, depending on results and net run rate. India had a tough start to the Super 8 stage, suffering a heavy defeat against South Africa. It was a disappointing performance, but the team responded strongly in their next match. They bounced back with a big win over Zimbabwe, which helped them regain confidence ahead of this crucial clash.
📍 Kolkata#TeamIndia turning up the heat ahead of a crucial contest 🔥#T20WorldCup | #MenInBlue | #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/t6Hkh9rBZT
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 1, 2026
In the last match, the co-hosts made several changes to their playing XI, but such big changes are likely as well for Sunday’s game.
Will India continue with Sanju Samson at the top?
Sanju Samson is likely to open the innings again with Abhishek Sharma. The pair did well in the previous match, and their right-left combination gave India their best opening stand of the tournament so far. Because of that success, Ishan Kishan is expected to continue batting at number three.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav will aim to step up and lead from the front in this crucial match. Tilak Varma is expected to continue in his new role at number five. He had found it tough to score while batting at number three earlier in the tournament, but the change in position suited him well. In the last game, he played a quick and aggressive knock of 44 runs off just 16 balls, showing how comfortable he looked in the new spot.
Among the all-rounders, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel are likely to keep their places in the playing XI.
Will Rinku Singh Be Included in the Playing XI
Rinku Singh has rejoined the squad after attending his father’s funeral. However, he is not expected to feature in this match, as India may decide to stick with the same team that won the previous game.
In the bowling attack, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh are likely to lead the pace department for India.
Will Kuldeep Yadav be included in the playing XI against West Indies?
Varun Chakravarthy or Kuldeep Yadav is likely to be picked as the main spinner for the match. The team is expected to stick with the same player-to-player combinations against West Indies to maintain balance and consistency.
India’s probable playing XI:
Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy/Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh.
