Matchday Preview: Forgotten heroes West Indies begin campaign with India, Pakistan

The T20 fever is set to take over the entire world as the T20 World Cup 2026 officially begins on Saturday, February 7. The opening day of the tournament will feature three matches, with Pakistan and the Netherlands locking horns in the curtain-raiser of the competition in Colombo.

The second match of the day will see West Indies take on Scotland, while hosts India will be in action in the final game of the evening at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. While Asian giants India and Pakistan are expected to take the limelight on the opening day, the two-time champions West Indies will also be eager to reclaim their lost glory on the very soil where they won their last title in the 2016 edition.

When and where to watch

Pakistan vs Netherlands in Colombo in a Group A match at 11 am IST.

West Indies vs Scotland in Kolkata in a Group C match at 3 pm IST.

India vs USA in Mumbai in a Group A match at 7 pm IST.

All matches will be telecast on Star Sports, with live streaming available on JioHotstar.

Here’s a quick preview of the three games on Day 1 of the T20 World Cup.

MATCH 1 prediction: Pakistan vs Netherlands in Colombo

Pakistan are coming into the tournament having whitewashed Australia 3-0 on home soil. The Salman Agha-led side is carrying strong momentum into the event, having earlier beaten South Africa, hammered Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in a tri-series, and further drawn their series against Sri Lanka 1-1.

Having decided to boycott their highly anticipated fixture against India, Pakistan have put themselves in a precarious position, as they now need to win all of their remaining fixtures for a smooth transition into the Super Eights.

On the other hand, the Netherlands qualified for the tournament after winning the European qualifiers in July 2025. The Scott Edwards-led side finished on top of the table with three wins from four matches, collecting six points. The Netherlands also featured in the 2024 edition of the tournament but were knocked out in the first stage after winning just one of their four matches.

The Dutch have registered some memorable upsets in the tournament’s history, having beaten England twice and South Africa. Hence, given the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket, the Netherlands cannot be taken lightly, especially considering their history of punching above their weight.

Pitch and conditions

The opening game of the T20 World Cup starts at 11 am, with the match expected to be rain-affected in the second half. The pitch is likely to offer turn and bounce.

If there is assistance for the spinners, it could serve the Netherlands well, given that they cannot afford to get into a power-hitting contest against Pakistan, who possess players far better suited to such conditions against an associate nation.

The real threat, however, will be rain. If Pakistan end up on the wrong side of the toss, it could put them in immediate trouble.

Team News (Predicted Playing XIs)

Netherlands: Michael Levitt, Max O'Dowd, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards (c & wk), Bas de Leede, Zach Lion-Cachet, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Kyle Klein, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman/Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq, Abrar Ahmed

MATCH 2 prediction: West Indies vs Scotland in Kolkata

West Indies earned automatic qualification for the tournament after reaching the Super Eight stage of the previous edition in 2024. However, the two-time champions have struggled to replicate their past success in the last three T20 World Cups, failing to make the knockout stages on each occasion.

With Darren Sammy at the helm as head coach, who guided West Indies to both of their T20 World Cup triumphs, the side will be aiming to spark a resurgence in T20Is and restore their former legacy. West Indies will face Scotland in their opening fixture, a team that defeated them in their only previous encounter in 2022, which was one of the reasons behind their early exit from the tournament.

On the other hand, Scotland are surprise entrants in the tournament after Bangladesh decided to pull out of the event following a disagreement with the International Cricket Council (ICC) over venue allocations. Led by Richie Berrington, Scotland will be featuring in their seventh edition of the tournament.

They have never progressed beyond the group stages and will be keen to get off to a winning start against West Indies, given their past record. While the fixture may not appear evenly matched on paper, it has all the ingredients to keep fans on the edge of their seats.

Pitch and conditions

A total of 12 T20Is have been played at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, with teams batting second winning seven of those matches. The average first-innings score at the venue is 153, while the highest successful run chase stands at 158. The Eden Gardens surface is known to assist spinners, although batters are also expected to enjoy their time in the middle.

Team News (Predicted Playing XI)

West Indies: Shai Hope (c) (wk), Johnson Charles, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Matthew Forde, Romario Shepherd, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Shamar Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Akeal Hosein

Scotland: George Munsey, Tom Bruce, Brandon McMullen, Richie Berrington (c), Finlay McCreath, Matt Cross (wk), Michael Leask, Mark Watt, Brad Wheal, Safyaan Sharif, Brad Currie

MATCH 3 prediction: India vs USA in Mumbai

Tournament favourites India will begin their campaign against the USA in the final match of the opening day at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The Men in Blue are coming into the competition having won nine successive series, including the Asia Cup in 2025.

Since July 2024, India have won 31 of their 41 matches, losing just six, while two matches ended in no result and another two finished in a tie. The Suryakumar Yadav-led side are strong favourites to defend their title on home soil and become the first team in history to achieve the feat.

The USA, meanwhile, will be looking to build on their breakthrough performance in the previous edition of the tournament in 2024. The Monank Patel-led side advanced to the Super Eight stage after scripting a major upset against Pakistan. They have once again looked in fine form ahead of the upcoming edition, putting up strong performances against India A and New Zealand in the warm-up fixtures.

The USA are expected to punch above their weight once again, and the opening fixture itself should provide a clear glimpse into their preparedness for the global event.

Pitch and conditions

The Wankhede surface is regarded as one of the best batting wickets in India, with plenty of runs on offer for those wielding the willow. Totals in excess of 220 would not be a surprise on this batting paradise, as bowlers are likely to find it difficult to stem the flow of runs. Pacers may receive some assistance with the new ball, which offers good bounce and carry. Defending targets at the venue is a herculean task, with dew expected to influence the second-innings proceedings.

Team News (Predicted Playing XI)

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

USA: Monank Patel (c), Andries Gous (wk), Saiteja Mukkamalla, Shayan Jahangir, Milind Kumar, Shubham Ranjane, Harmeet Singh, Mohammad Mohsin, Ali Khan, Nosthush Kenjige, Saurabh Netravalkar

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