India's place in the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals has not yet been confirmed. This is due to the Indian team's 76-run defeat to South Africa in their first Super 8 match. In Ahmedabad, the Proteas completely dominated Suryakumar Yadav's team, defeating them. However, India bounced back in their second match, defeating Zimbabwe by 72 runs. Now, Team India needs a win to advance to the next round, and for that, they must defeat the West Indies.

India will face the West Indies in their final Super 8 match on Sunday, March 1st, in Kolkata. The winner of this match will qualify directly for the semi-finals. That's why this match is crucial for India, as any mistake could lead to their elimination from the tournament.

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West Indies have also performed exceptionally well in the T20 World Cup 2026 and boast several big-match winners. With this in mind, let's take a look at three West Indies players who could pose a significant threat to India.

3. Sherfane Rutherford

West Indies boasts several excellent batting talents who can wreak havoc on the opposition in just a few balls. One such player is left-handed batsman Sherfane Rutherford, who is in excellent form and has played some impressive innings in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Rutherford has scored 169 runs in five innings so far, averaging 84.50 and striking at 181.72. Given his dominance, particularly in the death overs, Team India must develop a targeted, disciplined strategy to contain him.

2. Gudakesh Motie

Indian batters have faced difficulties against spinners in the T20 World Cup 2026. West Indies would also like to take advantage of this weakness, and for this reason, left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie could prove to be a trump card. The Indian batting line-up has not played Motie much, so facing him will not be easy. The Caribbean spinner's bowling form is also good, and he has taken 10 wickets in six matches in the ongoing tournament so far. Motie has also been economical in giving away runs, with an economy rate of 7.75.

1. Shimron Hetmyer

Batting at No. 3, Shimron Hetmyer has emerged as a key performer in the T20 World Cup 2026 for the West Indies. He leads his side’s run-scoring charts with 221 runs in six innings at an impressive average of 44.20. He has scored two half-centuries and maintains a strike rate of 182.64 that highlights his aggressive intent and match-winning capability. Therefore, India will need to prevent him from settling at the crease. Allowing him time to build momentum could prove costly for the Indian bowling attack.