As preparations begin for the 19th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the schedule for the first 20 matches has already been announced. The tournament will start on March 28 with a match between the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Ahead of the new season, the official broadcaster Star Sports has released a special promotional video for the Indian Premier League 2026.

The campaign features players and themes from all 10 IPL teams, including Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals. With bright visuals, team colours and energetic music, the promo shows the excitement and strong competition of the league.

The video also includes glimpses of star cricketers such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni, creating more excitement among cricket fans before the start of the new season.

Watch the video here:

STAR SPORTS PROMO FOR IPL 2026 🥶🔥

- The Cricket Carnival starts on March 28th. pic.twitter.com/4T8a7QuW0R

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 15, 2026

Also read -Star Royal Challengers Bengaluru player secretly marries ahead of Indian Premier League 2026 amid ongoing case speculation

Star Sports releases new IPL 2026 promo showcasing all 10 teams

The video begins with a montage of massive sixes struck by different players. It opens with a huge hit from India’s rising talent Vaibhav Suryavanshi, immediately setting an energetic tone for the promo.

The focus then shifts to other young IPL stars such as Abhishek Sharma of Sunrisers Hyderabad, Urvil Patel of Chennai Super Kings, and Priyansh Arya of Punjab Kings, who are shown hitting powerful sixes and boundaries. Shortly after, the screen displays the title “The Prodigies,” highlighting the league’s exciting young talents. The video also captures enthusiastic fans cheering inside stadiums, along with glimpses of the youngsters celebrating their half-centuries and centuries.

However, the promo does not stop there. Along with these emerging stars, it also features current champions and experienced players, showing the balance of youth and experience in the league. Interestingly, despite the strong focus on young talent, Angkrish Raghuvanshi of Kolkata Knight Riders does not appear in the first part of the video.

Star-studded players headline the special video ahead of Indian Premier League 2026

In the middle part of the one-minute promo, the Star Sports team highlights some of the biggest stars of the Indian Premier League. The video shows the famous flip celebration of Rishabh Pant from Lucknow Super Giants, which adds excitement to the sequence.

The promo also features several key players such as Shreyas Iyer of Punjab Kings, Hardik Pandya of Mumbai Indians, KL Rahul of Delhi Capitals, and Shubman Gill of Gujarat Titans. Their appearances make the video more engaging and highlight the star power of the league.

However, despite featuring many big names, the promo does not include in this middle part; players like Kuldeep Yadav of Delhi Capitals and Sanju Samson, even though they were part of India’s successful ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign. Their absence in this segment has surprised some fans.

Then comes the most exciting part of the video, titled “The Legends.” From around the 24-second mark, the promo starts showing the heroic moments of Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, and Virat Kohli. Their appearances add star power and help keep the viewers engaged. In the final moments of the video, players like Rinku Singh and Varun Chakravarthy are also featured, bringing the promo to an energetic close.

Fans react as Star Sports builds hype for IPL 2026 with blockbuster promo

Cricket fans have reacted with excitement after Star Sports released its blockbuster promotional video for the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026 season. The one-minute video quickly gained attention on social media, with many fans praising the energetic visuals, powerful background music and the mix of young stars and legendary players.

Several users appreciated the appearances of big names such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and MS Dhoni, saying the promo perfectly captures the excitement of the IPL. At the same time, some fans also pointed out that a few players were missing from the video, sparking discussions online as the countdown to the new IPL season begins.

Here are the fans reaction in below:

Thala is Coming 🔥 pic.twitter.com/PzHgj2QG8K

— ETHEREAL⁷ (@Etherealcric) March 15, 2026

Star Sports setting the stage for IPL 2026. 👏

— Cricket Insider (@PriceTickerX) March 15, 2026

The stage is set for unlimited thrill, action, and entertainment! The carnival of cricket is here.

— Mohit Bohra (@mohitsharma1910) March 15, 2026

Where is World Cup winner #suryakumaryadav 😅😅

— prerna t (@prernarp_t) March 15, 2026

Promo looks good but stills can’t beat the legacy of promo for ipl 2015 🥱

— Bharat Talks (@BharatSpeaksX) March 15, 2026

After a long wait promotion has started🔥

— Fifth Stump (@fifthstump) March 15, 2026

In the Final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, hosts and defending champions India started dominantly against New Zealand, as the Indian openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson thrashed the entire Blackcaps bowling line-up. 

Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is hosting the final match of the tournament on Sunday night (March 8), where New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner chose to field first. While the Indian batters Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan are in dream form with their bat, the opener Abhishek Sharma has mostly struggled in the tournament.  

Watch: Sanju Samson & Abhishek Sharma smash Jacob Duffy for 15-run over in IND vs NZ T20 World Cup 2026 final

Abhishek Sharma slammed 18-ball fifty in ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 Final

However, the team management has put enough faith in the players, which have produced strong results for the Men in Blue. Indian openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson provided a thunderous start for India, as the hosts and defending champions India scored 92/0 at the end of the powerplay 

While Sanju scored 33 runs, Abhishek completed his half-century in just 18 balls. Indian openers secured 12 runs at the end of the first two overs of the match, but then they thrashed 80 runs in the next four overs of the powerplay, striking 20 runs per over in that period.  

Watch the videos of powerful starts by Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson

The following videos give some ideas on how the Indian openers dominated with the bat from the early period of the innings.  

Launched into the stands! 🙌6️⃣

Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson have got Team India off to a strong start! 🔥

ICC Men’s #T20WorldCup | FINAL | #INDvNZ | LIVE NOW 👉 https://t.co/Tz1DBSb4nT pic.twitter.com/pyALmdt7fQ

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 8, 2026

CHETTA POWER! 💪

Outrageous six from Sanju Samson as 21 runs came off Matt Henry's over! 🥶

ICC Men’s #T20WorldCup | FINAL | #INDvNZ | LIVE NOW 👉 https://t.co/Tz1DBSb4nT pic.twitter.com/LGg4snOIuP

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 8, 2026

Cometh the hour, cometh the man! 😍

Abhishek Sharma brings up his fifty in just 18 balls, fastest of the tournament! 💪

ICC Men’s #T20WorldCup | FINAL | #INDvNZ | LIVE NOW 👉 https://t.co/Tz1DBSb4nT pic.twitter.com/mcmGhlxJxe

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 8, 2026

The stage is set for the big final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. India national cricket team will face the New Zealand national cricket team in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 8.

Ahead of the big match, saints in Ayodhya offered special prayers for the Indian cricket team on Sunday. They prayed for India’s victory in the final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.

The saints carried posters of Indian players and the national flag. They chanted mantras and performed a havan to wish good luck for the Indian team. Similar scenes were also seen in Kanpur and Varanasi, where people offered special prayers for the Indian team. In Varanasi, children from cricket academies took part in havans. In Kanpur, residents performed rituals ahead of the important match.

Watch the video below of saints offering prayers for Team India:

SAINTS IN AYODHYA OFFERS PRAYERS FOR TEAM INDIA’S WIN IN T20 WORLD CUP FINAL TODAY. 🇮🇳🙏 (ANI).

pic.twitter.com/4pECHHr6qe

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) March 8, 2026

Also read -Watch: Ricky Martin vibes to Sukhbir’s punjabi beats at T20 World Cup 2026 final closing ceremony practice

ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 Final Preview

India are going into the final with a chance to create history. India national cricket team are aiming to become the first team to defend a T20 World Cup title. They also want to become the first host nation to win the tournament and the first team to win three T20 World Cup titles.

For the New Zealand national cricket team, the main challenge will be to control India’s strong batting line-up. They will also have to deal with the accurate bowling of Jasprit Bumrah.

India and New Zealand reached the final through different paths. Both teams had strong batting performances in their semi-final matches. New Zealand lost to South Africa in the group stage and to England in the Super Eight stage. However, they were very strong in the semi-final. After restricting South Africa to 169/8, New Zealand chased the target easily and won by nine wickets in just 12.5 overs. Finn Allen scored a brilliant 33-ball century, which was the fastest hundred in T20 World Cup history.

The Suryakumar Yadav-led team were excellent in the group stage. Their only loss came against South Africa in the first Super Eight match. In the semi-final against the England national cricket team, India scored a huge total of 253/7. England tried hard but fell short by seven runs in a thrilling match.

In past T20 World Cup meetings, New Zealand have had the advantage. They defeated India in 2007, 2016 and 2021. However, recent form favours India. The host nation recently beat New Zealand 4-1 in a T20I series in India.

Squads

New Zealand Squad: Tim Seifert (w), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner (c), Cole McConchie, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Devon Conway, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy.

India Squad: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (w), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav. (ANI)

The India vs England match in the second Semi-final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 is set to start, as the toss has been done. There is a big question among the Indian cricket fans about whether the opener Abhishek Sharma is playing or not in the crucial match.

The second Semi-final has been scheduled on Thursday night (March 5) at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The winner of the match will face New Zealand in the Final of the tournament, which Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will host on Sunday night (March 8).

See Also: ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, 2nd Semi-final - IND vs ENG: Toss Update and Playing XI

Abhishek Sharma out of form in ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026

The Indian opening superstar Abhishek Sharma has majorly seemed out of touch in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026, which raised a big concern for the Men in Blue. As Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan are doing well, there is a big question whether Abhishek can be dropped from the playing XI in the ongoing tournament. 

After starting the tournament with three consecutive ducks (vs USA, Pakistan, and Netherlands), Abhishek scored 15 (vs South Africa), 55 (vs Zimbabwe), and 10 (vs West Indies), respectively. 

Abhishek Sharma in Indian playing XI vs England in 2nd Semi-final of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026

England captain Harry Brook chose to field first in the second Semi-final. As the Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav confirmed an unchanged squad, which meant that Abhishek Sharma was in the playing XI. 

However, Abhishek Sharma once again disappointed the Indian camp. Despite getting two fours in the second over, Abhishek was caught out at deep midwicket for just nine runs off seven balls, as the off-spinner Will Jacks took that wicket. 

Mohammad Kaif has strongly criticized Mohammad Amir for his controversial remarks about Abhishek Sharma and the Indian team during the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. Amir sparked a major debate in the cricket fraternity after dismissing Abhishek as “nothing but a slogger.” The Pakistani pacer also predicted that the Men in Blue would fail to reach the semi-finals of the global tournament. His comments quickly spread across social media, drawing sharp reactions from fans and experts who felt the remarks were unnecessarily harsh and lacked balanced cricketing assessment.

Kaif responded firmly to Amir’s statements, suggesting that such provocative comments are often made merely to remain in the spotlight. The former Indian cricketer advised fans not to attach too much significance to Amir’s remarks, as they were not rooted in sound cricketing reasoning or analysis. According to Kaif, opinions expressed without proper evaluation of a player’s ability or match situations should not be taken seriously. He emphasized that the Indian team should stay focused on their performances rather than reacting to external criticism.

"Did Amir really not know that India would reach the semifinals? Of course, he knew that the defending champions would make it. But they say these things because it becomes news. We must not give them importance. There is no need for us to come down to their level and reply," he said on his YouTube channel on the eve of the second semi-final clash between India and England.

I don't have to say more: Kaif

Mohammad Kaif also took a jab at Mohammad Amir by bringing up the match Pakistan played against the USA during the group stage of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024. In that match, Amir bowled a number of wides during the Super Over and was unable to contain the USA batters. Therefore, Kaif implied that someone who could not help his team get a win over the USA does not have much credibility when talking boldly about other players or teams. Kaif also mentioned that over the past two editions of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, Pakistan has not made it to the semi finals after being eliminated from contention during the group stage in 2024 and going out in the Super 8 round this year; this is disappointing given Pakistan's long and distinguished history in cricket.

"The loss they faced against the USA in 2024 — it was the same bowler who was responsible. In that over, he conceded only one boundary, but bowled too many wides. His balls did not even land on the stumps. Who got scared against that USA team and made his side lose the game? I don't have to say more," Kaif said.

Finn Allen scored the fastest century in T20I history with a powerful hitting display at Eden Gardens on Wednesday. Chasing 170 to reach the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Final, the Kiwi batter made a 33-ball century and led his team to an easy win. Allen broke the record of former India captain Rohit Sharma, who scored a 35-ball century against Sri Lanka in 2017.

Allen started hitting hard from the beginning in New Zealand’s chase. He hit a couple of early sixes off Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen, while Tim Seifert stayed on strike for most of the time. In the last over of the power play, Allen took control of the game.

Facing Corbin Bosch, Allen scored 22 runs with one six and four straight boundaries. This took New Zealand to 84/0 in the powerplay, almost winning the game. The Kiwi opener reached his half-century in just 19 balls. It was the joint fastest fifty of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

Even after Tim Seifert got out, Allen did not slow down. He kept hitting boundaries easily. Almost every over had a four or a six. When Marco Jansen came back to bowl, Allen attacked him hard. He scored 24 runs in just 5 balls and reached his century in only 33 balls. New Zealand finished the chase in 12.5 overs.

Here is the complete list of fastest T20I centuries among full member nations

1. Finn Allen vs South Africa, 2026 (33 balls)

After the bowlers restricted South Africa to 169/8 in 20 overs on March 4, with pacers and spinners sharing eight wickets, it turned into the Finn Allen show. Finn Allen smashed the fastest T20I century between two Full Member nations, reaching his hundred in just 33 balls. He achieved this record in the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final. Allen and Tim Seifert gave New Zealand a flying start. The pair powered the team to 84/0 in the six-over powerplay and almost ended the match there. After Seifert was dismissed for 58, Rachin Ravindra joined Allen at the crease. Allen went on to score his third T20I century in just 33 balls and finished the chase in style. New Zealand ended at 173/1 in 12.5 overs to seal a dominant win and book their place in the final.

2. Rohit Sharma vs Sri Lanka, 2017 (35 balls)

Former India captain Rohit Sharma scored a 35-ball century against Sri Lanka in Indore on December 22, 2017. He reached his fifty in 23 balls. That was just the start. He scored the next fifty in only 12 balls. While fans were still celebrating his half-century, Rohit was already moving towards his hundred. That is how he plays — always one step ahead. At the other end, KL Rahul was playing his natural shots and keeping the innings steady. But Rohit was batting on another level. Short balls were pulled over midwicket. Length balls were lifted with ease over the same area. He did not just hit the ball hard; he placed it perfectly into gaps and over the boundary. Here is a key number — 91.52. That was the percentage of runs Rohit scored in boundaries. He made 108 of his 118 runs through fours and sixes.

3. David Miller vs Bangladesh, 2017 (35 Balls)

David Miller delivered a remarkable performance in T20I cricket when he scored one of the fastest centuries in the format. He reached his hundred in just 35 balls against Bangladesh in 2017. At that time, it was the fastest T20I century and he broke the previous record held by Richard Levi. Although Miller missed the chance to equal Yuvraj Singh’s record of six sixes in an over, his innings was still thrilling. This knock was special because he had struggled for form in the previous six months. Earlier that year, Miller had also played a strong innings of 117* against Sri Lanka, showing signs of returning to his best form.

Also read -Watch: Finn Allen smashes Corbin Bosch for 22-run over in SA vs NZ T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final

4. Abhishek Sharma vs England, 2025 (37 balls)

The last time India and England played a bilateral match in Mumbai in 2025, Abhishek Sharma gave his best performance. He lit up the Wankhede Stadium with a stunning 135 off 54 balls. Now, ahead of a high-pressure T20 World Cup semi-final, the explosive opener will look to forget his self-doubts and deliver again when it matters most. The left-handed batter from Punjab reached his century in just 37 balls in the 11th over. It was the second-fastest T20I hundred by an Indian, after Rohit Sharma’s 35-ball century against Sri Lanka in 2017.

5.  Tim David vs West Indies (37 balls)

Tim David smashed a powerful 37-ball century against the West Indies in 2025. His explosive knock helped Australia chase down 215 with 23 balls to spare in the third T20I. With this win, Australia secured the series 3-0 with two matches still left to play. It was a special night for the 29-year-old, who reached a personal milestone he was not sure he would achieve because of his lower batting position. David came in to bat when Australia were 61/3 in 5.5 overs. He changed the game with aggressive batting, hitting 11 sixes and six fours. During his innings, he also broke the record for the fastest T20I century by an Australian, going past Josh Inglis, who had scored a 43-ball hundred against Scotland the previous year.

The Indian team will face England in the 2nd Semi-Final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Wankhede Stadium. The Indian team bounced back strongly after losing to South Africa in their opening Super 8 match, defeating Zimbabwe and the West Indies in both their Super 8 matches to secure a place in the semi-finals. In their final Super 8 match, they chased down a target of 196 runs against the West Indies in 19.2 overs. Opening batsman Sanju Samson scored 97 runs off 50 balls, hitting 12 fours and four sixes, and played a crucial role in his team's victory.

On the other hand, England performed well in the Super 8, topping the points table and securing a place in the semi-finals. They defeated Sri Lanka by 51 runs in their first match, followed by Pakistan by two wickets and New Zealand by four wickets in the final match. India and England have faced off five times in Men's T20 World Cups, with India winning three times and England winning on two occasions

Also Read: IND vs ENG Today Match Tips: Safe Picks, Captain Choice & Toss Prediction

IND vs ENG Match Details

• Match: India vs England, 2nd Semi-Final

• Date: 5th March 2026

• Time: 7:00 PM IST

• Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

• Live Streaming: JioHotstar 

IND vs ENG Weather Report

Pitch Report - Wankhede Stadium

The pitch at Wankhede Stadium performed exceptionally well during the last match, which saw West Indies score 254 runs. The average score for teams batting first has typically been around 170–190 runs.

• Win Batting First: 50%

• Win Bowling First: 50%

Average Scores

• Average 1st Innings: 187

• Average 2nd Innings: 162

IND vs ENG Recent Form

IND vs ENG Head-to-Head Record (T20I)

• IND Wins - 17

• ENG Wins - 12

Top Batters to Watch – IND vs ENG

• Suryakumar Yadav (IND): 231 runs in this tournament 

• Harry Brook (ENG): 228 runs in this tournament 

• Ishan Kishan (IND): 224 runs in this tournament 

Top Bowlers to Watch – IND vs ENG

• Varun Chakravarthy (IND): 12 wickets in this tournament 

• Adil Rashid (ENG): 11 wickets in this tournament 

• Liam Dawson (ENG): 10 wickets in this tournament 

IND vs ENG Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1: If ENG bats first

• Powerplay Score: 45–60

• Predicted Total: 165–170

• Match Result: IND to win

Scenario 2: If IND bats first

• Powerplay Score: 55–70

• Predicted Total: 175–195

• Match Result: IND to win

Who Will Hit the Most Sixes?

Who Will Hit the Most Fours?

IND vs ENG Predicted Playing XIs

India

Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah

England 

Jos Buttler (wk), Phil Salt, Harry Brook, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid 

Why India is the favourite

• Home conditions 

• Excellent spin attack

• Sanju Samson's recent form

IND vs ENG Today Match Prediction – Who Will Win Today?

Based on current form, team balance, and superior batting strength, India are the favourites to win this ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. Sanju Samson, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya are expected to be the key performers.

Winning chances

IND: 60%

ENG: 40%

IND vs ENG Match FAQs

Q1. Where can I watch the IND vs ENG live match?

You can watch the live streaming on the JioHotstar 

Q2. Who will win today’s IND vs ENG match?

According to our today's match prediction, India are the favourites to win this encounter.

Q3. What time will the IND vs ENG match start?

The match begins at 7:00 PM IST 

The former spin all-rounder of the Indian side, Ravichandran Ashwin, has roasted the left-arm pacer of the Pakistan side, Mohammad Amir, regarding the comments of calling the left-handed opening batter of the blue brigade, Abhishek Sharma, the slogger, as the latter was failing in the T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with three ducks in four innings. 

Meanwhile, Ashwin reckoned that Abhishek Sharma would not be a slogger because he has a good bat swing, to which he called the Punjab-born player's bat swing better than that of his mentor, Yuvraj Singh, which is an incredible praise for any youngster.

See Also: Watch: Heartbreaking news!! Star India player's father passes away during T20 World Cup 2026

“A video of Mohammad Amir is going the rounds where he is calling Abhishek Sharma the slogger. And there are several tweets on that where they are calling him the slogger. And I really want to clear one thing, bro. Whatever you can tell me about the game involving Abhishek, he is surely not a slogger. Because, in his batting, he has the best enviable bat swing, which is absolutely excellent.” Ashwin expressed in a video that went viral.

Ravichandran Ashwin slams Mohammad Amir’s comment in T20 WC 2026

Abhishek, after several failures, finally lit up the stage with a fine knock of 55 runs in just 30 balls at a strike rate of 183.33 with the help of four boundaries and as many sixes as the Indian side posted a massive score of 256 in their allotted 20 overs.

Watch the video here: 

🚨 RAVI ASHWIN ROASTED MOHAMMAD AMIR 🚨

"You can say anything about Abhishek Sharma’s game, but he is NOT a slogger. He has one of the most enviable bat swings in cricket, even better than his mentor Yuvraj Singh. His only guilt is showing intent on every ball"

Do you agree🤔 pic.twitter.com/GlIkSPsPfx

— Fan Account Richard Kettlebourogh (@RichKettle07) February 27, 2026

“As we all know, Yuvraj Singh is his mentor, and Abhishek has the same bat swing as him, or actually better than him, which is incredibly great. Abhishek’s toe of the bat goes at the top. You can’t get a better bat strike, and that’s why once he hits the ball, it flies higher. The only issue is that he shows intent on every delivery, which has made the false narrative.” Ashwin added in the same video.

Abhishek has notched up an overall 1367 runs in 42 innings of the shortest format at an average of 34.17 and a strike rate of 190.93, with nine half-centuries and two centuries at the best score of 135.

India will face West Indies in the 52nd match of the Super 8 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. This match will be a knockout for both India and West Indies. They have each won one match and lost one so far. The winner will qualify for the semi-finals, while the loser will be eliminated from the tournament.

The Indian team bounced back from their defeat against South Africa, defeating Zimbabwe by 72 runs in their last match. Batting first, they scored 256 runs in 20 overs, with Abhishek Sharma (55) and Hardik Pandya (50 off 23 balls). In the bowling department, Arshdeep Singh took three wickets and helped the team defend their target. Varun Chakaravarthy and Jasprit Bumrah are India's main wicket-taking options, with 11 and seven wickets each.

On the other hand, West Indies suffered a 9-wicket defeat at the hands of South Africa in their second Super 8 match. Batting first, they scored 176 runs in 20 overs. In response, South Africa chased down the target in 16.1 overs. Gudakesh Motie is West Indies’ highest wicket-taker in this World Cup with 10 wickets at an economy of 7.75.

Also Read: NZ-W vs ZIM-W Dream11 Prediction 2nd T20I match Fantasy Cricket Tips, Probable Playing XI

Record Alert! Team India batters script history vs Zimbabwe in T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8

IND vs WI Match Details

• Match: India vs West Indies, 52nd Match

• Date: 1st March 2026

• Time: 7:00 PM IST

• Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata 

• Live Streaming: JioHotstar 

IND vs WI Weather Report

Pitch Report - Eden Gardens

The Eden Gardens pitch is good for shot-making in the power play, but scoring slows down as the innings move along, particularly once spin comes into play during the middle phase. The average first-innings score at this venue is 165 to 170 runs.

• Spin-friendly surface 

• High-scoring ground

• Small boundaries 

IND vs WI Recent Form

IND vs WI Head-to-Head Record (T20I)

• IND Wins - 19

• WI Wins - 10

Top Batters to Watch – IND vs WI

• Shimron Hetmyer (WI): 221 runs in this tournament 

• Ishan Kishan (IND): 214 runs in this tournament 

• Suryakumar Yadav (IND): 213 runs in this tournament 

Top Bowlers to Watch – IND vs WI

• Varun Chakravarthy (IND): 11 wickets in this tournament 

• Gudakesh Motie (WI): 10 wickets in this tournament 

• Arshdeep Singh (IND): 8 wickets in this tournament 

IND vs WI Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1: If WI bats first

• Powerplay Score: 45–55

• Predicted Total: 165–170

• Match Result: IND to win

Scenario 2: If IND bats first

• Powerplay Score: 55–70

• Predicted Total: 170–190

• Match Result: IND to win

Who Will Hit the Most Sixes?

Who Will Hit the Most Fours?

IND vs WI Predicted Playing XIs

India 

Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah

West Indies 

Brandon King, Shai Hope(w/c), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph 

Why India is the favourite

• Excellent top-order

• Home-conditions

• Good spin bowler 

IND vs WI Today Match Prediction – Who Will Win Today?

Based on current form, team balance, and superior batting strength, India are the favourites to win this ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan are expected to be the key performers.

Winning chances

IND: 65%

WI: 35%

IND vs WI Match FAQs

Q1. Where can I watch the IND vs WI live match?

You can watch the live streaming on the JioHotstar 

Q2. Who will win today’s IND vs WI match?

According to our today's match prediction, India are the favourites to win this encounter.

Q3. What time will the IND vs WI match start?

The match begins at 7:00 PM IST 

Team India at its best. Against Zimbabwe (India vs Zimbabwe), in a do-or-die situation on February 26 in Chennai the defending champion proved why they are considered the most electrifying team in the format across the globe. With a total of 256 runs for 4, Men in Blue registered an all-time record in an innings of a T20 World Cup match. 

Batting first at the MA Chidambaram stadium, India claimed a target of over 250, through a total team game. From Sanju Samson to Tilak Varma, all the players who came to bat for India, batted with a strike rate of over 150. According to the stats published by Cricbuzz on the social media platform 'X', "The first instance of six (or more) batters scoring 20+ runs at 150+ strike rate in a T20 World Cup innings"

For tonight's match, Team India, made multiple changes in their playing combination. They added Sanju Samson as an opener to pair up with Abhishek Sharma, and dropped Ishan Kishan to number 3. Captain Suryakumar Yadav was positioned for the number 4 spot, followed by Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma. Samson, Sharma, Kishan, Yadav, Pandya, and Varma are 6 batters who performed today for India. 

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Tinotenda Maposa, 22, proved to be the most expensive bowler for Zimbabwe as he conceded an economy rate of 20.0, leaking 40 runs in 2 overs only. Richard Ngarava with 15.5 overs was their second most expensive bowler of the night. The Chevrons' captain Sikandar Raza used seven different bowlers against India and was able to take only 4 wickets. The total of 256 was proof of the carnage done by the Indian batting attack. 

Team India batter's individual performance vs Zimbabwe