T20 World Cup 2026: 5 player battles to watch out for in IND v WI match

India will face the West Indies in their third and final Super 8s stage game in the T20 World Cup 2026 on March 1, 2026. This match will determine which side from Group 1 of the Super 8s advances to the semi-finals, while South Africa has already advanced to the knockout round.

India's chances of qualifying for the semi-finals were dashed after losing to South Africa by 76 runs, but a 72-run victory over Zimbabwe has rekindled those hopes. Today, we’ll see the top five player battles in the IND v WI match in the T20 World Cup 2026.

Here are the 5 player battles to watch out for in the IND v WI T20 World Cup 2026 match:

5. Jason Holder v Hardik Pandya

Jason Holder has been the best bowler for the West Indies, especially in death overs in this T20 World Cup 2026. He has 8 wickets at an economy of 8.73 and a best bowling of 4/27 and has bowled excellently well against opposition finishers, with an array of yorkers and slower balls. He has also done well with the bat, scoring 104 runs at a strike rate of 176.27 and a best score of 49.

Hardik Pandya will be the best bet for India when it comes to finishing. He has scored 155 runs at a strike rate of 161.45 with 2 fifties in 6 games. With the ball, Pandya has 5 wickets at an economy of 8.42. Pandya has been excellent as a finisher, as his 50* against Zimbabwe took India to 256/4 in 20 overs.

4. Shimron Hetmyer vs. Jasprit Bumrah

Shimron Hetmyer is the star batter for the West Indies with 221 runs in 6 games with a strike rate of 182.64 and a best score of 85. He has powered the Windies to big scores, coming in at no. 3 and batting through the innings. He will be a key wicket for India if they want the Windies assault to end.

Jasprit Bumrah has taken 7 wickets at an economy of 5.62 in 6 games, with best bowling figures of 3/17. Bumrah will likely be tasked to tame Hetmyer, who has hammered all bowlers he has faced in this tournament. However, he will cherish his matchup with Hetmyer in Kolkata.

3. Ishan Kishan v Gudakesh Motie

Ishan Kishan has given India fiery starts in the T20 World Cup 2026, scoring 214 runs in 6 games, with a strike rate of 186.08 and a best score of 77, which came in a win against Pakistan. Kishan has done well in power plays, taking on all bowlers. He has scored equally brutally against pacers and spinners.

But West Indies will likely depend on their spinner Gudakesh Motie, who has the ability to entice batters to hit him and pick their wickets. Motie has 10 wickets in the T20 World Cup 2026 at an economy of 7.75 and has picked wickets in both powerplay overs and middle overs. He has picked big hitters, and his matchup with Ishan Kishan will be salivating.

2. Abhishek Sharma v Shamar Joseph

Abhishek Sharma has finally found his form with a terrific 55 against Zimbabwe after suffering through three ducks and a 15 against South Africa in a huge defeat. He showed glimpses of his old self while also showing that he knows that blindly hitting every ball will not yield the best results and get him runs.

Shamar Joseph has taken 7 wickets in 6 games so far in the T20 World Cup 2026 with an economy of 8.71. He has gotten good bounce and pace off the wickets he has bowled, and he’ll love bowling on the Kolkata wicket at the Eden Gardens, which helps pacers.

1. Axar Patel v Sherfane Rutherford

Sherfane Rutherford has been excellent for the West Indies, scoring 169 runs with a strike rate of 181.72 as a finisher for the team. His best score has been 76*, and he has taken pacers in the death over to task with big shots at will, helping Windies score big totals.

Axar Patel has starred with the ball for India, often bowling just outside the powerplay and sometimes at death as well. He has 7 wickets at an economy of 7.20 with best bowling figures of 2/20. He has managed to keep the big hitters quiet and often dismisses them by enticing them to hit him for big shots.

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