The India vs West Indies 1st T20I 2026 is scheduled for today, October 6, at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The match will begin at 7:00 PM IST, with the toss expected around 6:30 PM. It is the opening match of a five-game T20I series between the two teams.
India enter the T20I series with strong confidence after winning gold at the 2026 Asian Games. Shreyas Iyer will captain India in the series, while Tilak Varma has been named vice-captain. West Indies, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back after losing the recently completed ODI series 2-1.
India vs West Indies 1st T20I Today: Match Details
Match: India vs West Indies, 1st T20I
Date: October 6, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM IST
Toss: Around 6:30 PM IST
Venue: Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
Series: West Indies Tour of India 2026 – 5 T20Is
The remaining matches will be played in Ranchi, Indore, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. The second T20I is scheduled for October 9 in Ranchi, while the third match will be played at Holkar Stadium in Indore on October 11.
Shreyas Iyer to Lead Team India
Shreyas Iyer will take charge of India’s T20I side after leading the men’s cricket team to an Asian Games gold medal. The squad contains a combination of established players and exciting young talent.
India’s squad includes Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav and Mayank Yadav.
Jasprit Bumrah is not part of the T20I series as he has been rested for workload management.
West Indies Squad
West Indies will be led by Shai Hope, who is also expected to play an important role with the bat and behind the wickets.
The visitors have included players such as Shimron Hetmyer, Roston Chase, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Gudakesh Motie, Akeal Hosein, Romario Shepherd and Shamar Joseph. Kamil Pooran has also been included after an impressive CPL campaign.
Jason Holder is unavailable for the T20I series after being rested.
India vs West Indies Head-to-Head and Form
India will start the series as one of the favourites. The Indian team is currently ranked highly in T20 cricket and has considerable depth in both batting and bowling.
West Indies, however, remain dangerous in the shortest format because of their power-hitting ability. Players such as Hetmyer, Rutherford and Powell can change a match quickly if they get established at the crease.
The opening game could therefore depend heavily on India’s spinners and how effectively West Indies handle the middle overs.
Ekana Stadium Pitch Report
The Lucknow surface can be slower than some other Indian T20 venues, which can bring spinners and slower bowlers into the game.
Historical T20I figures at the venue suggest that batting first can be important, although conditions under lights and the toss can influence the strategy. Teams will also need to judge the pace of the pitch carefully before deciding whether to attack or build their innings gradually.
India vs West Indies 1st T20 Live Streaming
Indian viewers can watch the match on the Star Sports Network, while live digital streaming is available through JioHotstar, according to current reports.
The match starts at 7 PM IST today, so cricket fans should expect the final playing XIs shortly before the toss.
India vs West Indies T20 Series Schedule
The five-match series will be played as follows:
- 1st T20I: October 6 – Lucknow
- 2nd T20I: October 9 – Ranchi
- 3rd T20I: October 11 – Indore
- 4th T20I: October 14 – Hyderabad
- 5th T20I: October 17 – Bengaluru
All five matches are scheduled for a 7 PM IST start.
Final Word
The India vs West Indies 1st T20I today promises an exciting start to the five-match series. India’s strong combination of young batters, experienced campaigners and quality spin gives them plenty of options, while West Indies have enough explosive players to challenge the hosts.
The biggest talking points will be the final playing XIs, the Ekana pitch, the performance of India’s young stars and whether West Indies’ power hitters can dominate the Indian bowling attack.