7 October 2026 Punjab Khabarnama Bureau : India defeated West Indies by eight wickets in the first T20I of the five-match series in Lucknow, taking a 1-0 lead. Captain Shreyas Iyer produced a sensational unbeaten century to guide India to a comfortable chase of 172 runs.
West Indies were bowled out for 171 in 19.1 overs after India won the toss and elected to field. The visitors made a promising start but lost wickets regularly during the middle and later stages of their innings.
Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford provided the main resistance for West Indies. Hope scored 52 from 37 balls, while Rutherford made 56 from 34 deliveries. Their partnership helped West Indies recover after they slipped to 44/3 during the powerplay.
India’s bowlers then regained control. Debutant Naman Dhir made an immediate impact, taking three wickets for 31 runs in his four overs. Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel picked up two wickets each, while Arshdeep Singh and Mayank Yadav also contributed with important breakthroughs.
Chasing 172, India lost two early wickets and were reduced to 35/2. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson departed before the Indian captain took charge of the innings.
Iyer joined Ishan Kishan at the crease and completely changed the course of the chase. The pair put together a match-winning partnership, with Iyer taking the attack to the West Indies bowlers while Kishan provided valuable support.
Iyer completed his maiden T20I century in spectacular fashion, reaching the landmark in just 42 balls. He finished unbeaten on 102 from 43 deliveries, with 10 fours and six sixes, recording a remarkable strike rate of more than 237.
Ishan Kishan remained unbeaten on 37 from 27 balls as India reached 172/2 in only 14.4 overs. India therefore completed the chase with 32 balls remaining and secured a convincing eight-wicket victory.
Iyer’s innings was the highlight of the match and earned him the Player of the Match award. His century also extended India’s winning streak in T20Is to 10 matches.
The Indian captain’s performance was particularly impressive because India had been under some pressure after losing two wickets early in the chase. Instead of allowing the West Indies bowling attack to build pressure, Iyer attacked consistently and ensured that India’s required run rate remained under control.
His partnership with Kishan proved decisive. Once the pair settled in, India’s chase became increasingly one-sided. Iyer accelerated rapidly in the final stages and completed his hundred with a six before finishing the match with another run.
For West Indies, Hope and Rutherford’s half-centuries were among the few major positives with the bat. However, the team struggled to maintain momentum after their partnership was broken. India’s bowlers took advantage of the situation and restricted the visitors to a below-par total.
Naman Dhir’s debut was another significant positive for India. His three-wicket haul helped the hosts maintain pressure on the West Indies middle order and demonstrated the depth available in India’s bowling attack.
The victory gives India an early advantage in the five-match series. West Indies will now look to bounce back in the second T20I, while India will aim to build on the momentum generated by Iyer’s outstanding century and the impressive bowling performance.
The first match also provided India with several positives, including the return to form of their captain, a strong performance from a debutant and another convincing result in T20I cricket.
With Iyer leading from the front and India’s bowling unit producing regular breakthroughs, India will enter the next match with confidence. West Indies, meanwhile, will need improvements with both bat and ball if they are to level the series.
The second T20I will provide West Indies with an opportunity to respond, while India will look to extend their lead and continue their strong run in the shortest format.