Afghanistan will meet the West Indies in the third and final encounter of the series on the 22nd of January, 2026, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Afghanistan have already sealed the series by winning the first two matches and will now aim for a clean 3–0 sweep, while West Indies will be desperate to avoid a whitewash.

Afghanistan have been excellent throughout the series. They chose to bat first in both matches and posted big totals, putting constant pressure on the West Indies. While in the second T20I, Afghanistan made 189/4 with good knocks from Darwish Rasooli (68) and Sediqullah Atal (53); with the ball, Mujeeb Ur Rahman came up with a match-winning spell with a haul of 4 wickets, inclusive of a hat-trick, to restrict the opposition.

West Indies have struggled to keep up, especially against Afghanistan’s spin attack. Although Brandon King (50) and Shimron Hetmyer (46) showed some fight in the previous game, the team lacked solid partnerships in the middle overs. With the series already lost, West Indies will look to play freely and finish the tour on a positive note. Both teams may also test a few bench players in this final match.

AFG vs WI: Head-to-Head Record (T20Is)

• Matches Played: 10
• Afghanistan Won: 5
• West Indies Won: 5
• No Result: 0

AFG vs WI: Pitch Report

The pitch in Dubai is usually good for batting early in the match. The ball comes nicely onto the bat in the first innings. However, as the game progresses, the surface slows down and becomes harder to bat on. Spinners play a big role in the second innings, which has troubled West Indies in this series.

See Also: WPL 2026, Match 14: GGW vs UPW head-to-head, weather & pitch report, predicted playing XIs

AFG vs WI: Predicted Playing XIs

Afghanistan (AFG):

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Darwish Rasooli, Sediqullah Atal, Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan (C), Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi

West Indies (WI):

Evin Lewis, Alick Athanaze, Brandon King (C), Quentin Sampson, Shimron Hetmyer, Matthew Forde, Khary Pierre, Johnson Charles (WK), Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph, Ramon Simmonds

AFG vs WI 1st T20I Match Preview:

Afghanistan are all set to face the West Indies in the opening match of the three-T20I match series on Monday, 19th January. This match will take place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Afghanistan is enjoying its excellent form. They have won their last four matches consecutively. They recently won the T20I series against ZIM by 3-0. Now, they are keen to carry forward their winning momentum.

On the other hand, the West Indies team appears to be struggling with their form at the moment, having lost their last three matches in a row. They head into this game after losing the T20I series against New Zealand. This series will help both teams to prepare themselves for the T20I World Cup.

AFG vs WI Recent Performance:

AFG vs WI 1st T20I Match Details:

• Series/Tournament: Afghanistan vs West Indies 
• Match: AFG vs WI 1st T20I
• Date: 19 Jan. 2026
• Match Start Time: 8:00 PM IST
• Stadium/Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, United Arab Emirates
• Live Score: cricketwinner.com
• Live Streaming: Fancode.

AFG vs WI Head-to-Head Stats:

(Last 10 Matches)

AFG vs WI Pitch & Weather Report:

The weather is expected to remain hazy and sunny during this match with 64% humidity. The temperature will hover around 19.8°C. Based on previous stats, the average score at this venue ranges between 131 and 142 runs. The pitch offers a little assistance to pacers.

Dubai Cricket Stadium Stats: 

Dubai International Cricket Stadium pitch is expected to be slow with low bounce. As the game progresses, it will be challenging for batters to play their shots easily. Winning the toss and opting to bowl first will be a wise decision on this surface.    

AFG vs WI Probable Playing 11

Afghanistan (AFG) Probable 11:

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Gulbadin Naib Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Md. Nabi, Rashid Khan (c), Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi

West Indies (WI) Probable 11:

Brandon King (c), Keacy Carty, Johnson Charles (wk), Alick Athanaze, Shimron Hetmyer, Gudakesh Motie, Justin Greaves/S Springar, Matthew Forde, Khary Pierre, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales

AFG vs WI- Top Picks from AFG

AFG vs WI- Top Picks from WI

Cricket Winner Player’s Insight:

• I Zadran (AFG) has been one of the most consistent players in the AFG Team. The right-hander smashed 259 runs in the last 9 matches.
• M Nabi (AFG) is one of the top all-rounders across the world. He could be lethal with the ball and bat.
• B King (WI), the newly appointed skipper for this series, will be at the forefront. He is expected to open the inning.
• G Motie (WI) could be a key bowler for WI in this clash. He has shown the ability to change the course of the game within his four-over spell.

AFG vs WI Captain & Vice-Captain Choices:

AFG vs WI Fantasy Team Suggestion:  

AFG vs WI Dream11 Prediction Expert Advice 

AFG vs WI Dream11 Prediction Probable Winners:

AFG is the slight favourite to win this match. They have 70% winning ratio on this venue. Additionally, the conditions here are more favourable for them.

AFG vs WI 1st T20I FAQ

Who is likely to win the AFG vs WI match today?

West Indies (WI) is expected to win this match.

Who is ahead in head-to-head stats?    

West Indies.

Who are the top fantasy picks for the AFG vs WI Dream11 team?

G Motie, B King, M Nabi, I Zadran, J Charles and A Omarzai

What is the pitch report for this match?

The surface is balanced, and we can expect an average score range between 131 and 142 runs.

The West Indies batting order found no match against the Team India bowling department on Day 1 of the IND vs WI 1st Test. Before lunch, the visiting side lost half of their batters, including Shai Hope. As of now, Mohammed Siraj has turned into the wrecker-in-chief. During the writing of the article, he had already claimed 4 wickets. The bowled out of Brandon King can be the best display of the morning. 

Among the batters of the West Indies at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad, Brandon King was looking confident. Before losing the stumps, he smashed three eye-catching boundaries as well. The right-handed batter scored 13 off 15 with three 4s. The West Indies, grasping for some space to breathe, had high hopes for the batter. King started well, about to set on the crease, but Siraj had different plans. 

The proven pacer knows very well how to put a confident batter in disarray. For the last ball of the 10th over, the India star released an inswinger from his right arm. The ball pitched on the outside of the off stump and then went towards the uncovered off stump. King did not expect that amount of swing. He did not show any intention to play the ball, which was a massive mistake. The red cherry struck the wicket; Brandon King was gone, and the West Indies lost their third batter of the day. 

Read More: India vs West Indies 1st Test Live Streaming: How to Watch Live on Mobile and TV

Mohammed Siraj outclassed Brandon King 

After winning the Asia Cup 2025 without losing a single match, Team India is now playing against the West Indies. India, the host team, is the clear favorite to win the 2-match Test series. The visitors have recently experienced multiple unpredictable bumps in their recent international matches. Ahead of the test series against India, multiple injuries made them more vulnerable; still, cricket fans expected some resilience from their batting side. 

pic.twitter.com/qqnnQkMgZI

— crictalk (@crictalk7) October 2, 2025

The combination of Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, and Kuldeep Yadav did not allow the opposition batters to spend too much time on the crease. Before lunch, the top batters of the Caribbean team went back to the pavilion; Team India is comfortably in the driving seat. 

With the series hanging in the balance, both West Indies and India were poised for an enthralling contest. The series had witnessed a slew of exceptional individual displays, and the onus rested on the players to excel in the decisive match. Amidst several standout performances, such as Surya Kumar Yadav’s splendid 61, Pooran’s swift and impactful 47, and Shepard’s astute execution in the death overs, it was Akeal Hosein’s impactful spell and Brandon King’s impeccably paced innings that turned out to be pivotal. Their contributions culminated in West Indies clinching a historic triumph – their first-ever T20 bilateral series victory against India. This victory also signifies their first series win against India in a span of 17 years.

In the following article, we will assess Akeal Hosein’s pitch map to analyze his landing areas and delve into Brandon King’s repertoire of shots.

Akeal Hosein’s Powerplay Prowess

Also read: India Equalizes Series Against West Indies on the Back of Kuldeep’s Outstanding Form and a Youthful Opening Duo – Cricket Winner

While Romario Shepard, with his cunning variations picked up 4 wickets in the death overs, it was Akeal Hosein’s early wickets which were body blows for team India. The latter has been a common sight for the West Indies during powerplays, consistently showcasing his skills. He’s bagged 13 wickets at an economy of 8.1 in this phase, which is quite good. His strength lies in his arm ball, a delivery that moves in the air, playing with the batsmen’s minds, even though he doesn’t rely heavily on variations.

He generally bowled more to the right-handed batters, but he started off his spell against the left-handed Yashasvi Jaiswal. He kept things very tight and bowled a stump-to-stump line. While he bowled a bit fuller initially, the batter was comfortable with this length. Hosein immediately changed his length and bowled it a bit shorter on the off stump to get some turn, which ultimately reaped the reward.

To the right handers, he focused more on the good length (42%) regions in order to generate a bit of turn and bounce. But he indeed possessed a wonderful variation with his lengths when he trapped Gill leg before wicket by bowling a slightly fullish length delivery, inducing him to the sweep shot. With respect to his variations, he bowled 9 arm balls and picked up his 2 wickets while he bowled 13 stock length deliveries with no wickets, but he maintained a firm grip on the scoring rate.

Brandon King’s impeccably paced knock

Brandon King has been a regular for West Indies in the last few years. He usually provides good starts, but he has issues in converting them into big scores. But his recent knock against India was a much-needed knock and it couldn’t have come at a better instance.

The graph above illustrates King’s shot selection throughout his innings, revealing a well-rounded array of strokes. Notably, his standout shot was the front foot drive, contributing around 31% of his total runs. Furthermore, he demonstrated competence in employing the front foot slog (15%) and exhibited an intent to advance down the track against spinners, resulting in approximately 17% of his runs being garnered through this approach.

While the majority of his shots were executed from a front-foot position, he also effectively employed back-foot play, accounting for nearly 25 percent of his total runs scored using this technique. Brandon King’s only challenge arose when facing the Chinaman bowler, Kuldeep Yadav, as he managed to accumulate just 5 runs from the 11 deliveries. This is an aspect which he will be aiming to address and improve upon in the future.