India secured a commanding eight-wicket victory against the West Indies in the opening T20I at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday. Chasing a target of 172, the hosts reached the finish line in just 14.4 overs, anchored by a historic, unbeaten 102 from skipper Shreyas Iyer. The captain’s maiden T20I century, achieved off just 42 balls, stands as the fastest by an Indian player against the West Indies in this format, surpassing the previous record held by KL Rahul from 2016. Furthermore, Iyer is now only the third Indian captain to hit a T20I century, joining the ranks of Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav. And Naman Dhir made an impressive impact on debut as India thrashed West Indies by eight wickets in the first T20I at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday, skipper Shreyas Iyer produced a historic unbeaten 102 off 43 balls. Making it the second-fastest hundred against West Indies in T20Is, behind only Australia’s Tim David, who reached the landmark in 37 balls in 2025, his sensational knock included a century off just 42 balls. Bettering KL Rahul’s 46-ball hundred in Lauderhill in 2016, iyer’s century was also the fastest by an Indian against West Indies in T20Is. And it was only his second half-century since taking over the captaincy from Suryakumar Yadav, iyer brought up his 11th T20I fifty in just 28 balls.
Iyer’s explosive innings, which marked his highest T20I score, surpassed his previous best of 80 not out against England earlier this year. His batting performance was bolstered by Ishan Kishan, who contributed 37 off 27 balls. During the chase, the pair formed a decisive 137-run partnership off 68 balls. Kishan also marked a personal milestone by surpassing 3,000 runs in international cricket. India had reached 62/2 after the powerplay, following the early dismissals of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, but Iyer’s aggressive approach ensured the team stayed ahead of the required run rate. The 102 not out also surpassed Iyer’s previous best T20I score of 80 not out against England in Bristol earlier in 2026. He received a loud ovation from the Ekana crowd as he took control of the chase following the early loss of both Indian openers. With Abhishek Sharma scoring 21 and Sanju Samson making 11 before departing, india raced to 62/2 after six overs. Rather than allowing the early setbacks to slow the chase, Iyer continued to attack and found boundaries with regularity.
The match saw a moment of controversy when a potential catch by Matthew Forde was reviewed by the TV umpire. Replays confirmed the ball touched the grass between the fielder’s fingers, leading to a not-out decision. This outcome visibly frustrated the West Indies side, including head coach Daren Sammy, while providing a significant reprieve for the Indian captain.
Earlier, debutant Naman Dhir delivered a strong performance with the ball, recording 3/31 to help bowl out the visitors for 171 in 19.1 overs. The West Indies innings began with aggression from skipper Shai Hope, who struck 16 runs in the second over off Mayank Yadav. However, India regained control quickly as Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel dismantled the top order. Kamil Pooran fell for 12, followed by Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell, leaving the tourists at 44/3.
Axar Patel continued to prove his worth as a restrictive bowler; his spell included another maiden, keeping him among India’s top T20I bowlers for maiden overs. His tally now stands at six maidens, trailing only Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the national rankings. The match also saw Hetmyer record his seventh run-out in T20Is, moving him to the top of the West Indies’ list for this dismissal type.
Shai Hope anchored the middle phase for the West Indies, registering his 13th T20I fifty off 36 balls. His efforts included a 63-run partnership with Sherfane Rutherford, who top-scored for his side with 56. Hope was eventually dismissed by debutant Dhir shortly after his milestone. Despite the resistance from the middle order, the West Indies were unable to overcome the pressure applied by the Indian attack, concluding their innings at 171 all out.
