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 their goal in just 14.4 overs, driven by a historic, unbeaten 102 off 43 balls from captain Shreyas Iyer.
Iyer’s performance marked his maiden T20I century and his highest score in the format, surpassing his previous best of 80 not out against England earlier this year. His blistering knock featured a century in just 42 balls, making it the fastest by an Indian against the West Indies in T20I cricket, eclipsing KL Rahul’s 46-ball record from 2016. Globally, it stands as the second-fastest hundred against the West Indies, behind only the 37-ball effort by Australia’s Tim David in 2025. The 102 not out also surpassed Iyer’s previous best T20I score of 80 not out against England in Bristol earlier in 2026. 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. But the on-field decision remained not out, and TV umpire Rohan Pandit reviewed the effort, forde dived forward and appeared to have taken a low catch.
The captain became the third Indian to record a century in the men’s format, joining Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav. His innings was supported by Ishan Kishan, who contributed 37 off 27 balls and surpassed 3,000 international runs during their pivotal 137-run partnership. The duo stabilized the chase after the early departures of Abhishek Sharma (21) and Sanju Samson (11), steering India to 102/2 by the halfway mark. 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. Scoring 37 off 27 balls as the pair stitched together a match-winning partnership of 137 off 68 balls, ishan Kishan provided excellent support. Needing 70 from 60 balls, but the equation quickly became academic as Iyer accelerated, india were 102/2 at the halfway stage.
A moment of tension occurred when Iyer was dropped by Matthew Forde off a Shamar Springer delivery, with replays confirming the ball touched the ground. The decision drew visible frustration from the West Indies coaching staff, including head coach Daren Sammy, while the visitors had managed to restrict India’s initial progress before the acceleration.
Batting first, the West Indies were bowled out for 171 in 19.1 overs. Despite a promising start from captain Shai Hope, who scored 52 off 36 balls, the team struggled against disciplined bowling. Debutant Naman Dhir starred for India with figures of 3/31, becoming the third-best debutant spinner for the side. Axar Patel also contributed significantly, maintaining his strong record in maiden overs; he now trails only Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar for most maiden overs in Indian T20I history.
The West Indies lineup faced consistent pressure, with Shimron Hetmyer departing for five via a run-out, marking his seventh such dismissal—a record for his team in the format. Rovman Powell also fell for a duck to Axar, continuing his recent struggles against the spinner. Sherfane Rutherford provided late resistance with 56 runs, but the Indian bowling attack effectively dismantled the middle and lower order to keep the target within manageable limits.
Hope’s dismissal, caught by Axar off the bowling of Dhir, ended a 63-run stand with Rutherford and proved to be a turning point. Ultimately, India’s superior pace and composure in the field ensured they reached the required 172 with ease, setting a high standard for the remainder of the series.
