India began their five-match T20I series against the West Indies with a comfortable eight-wicket victory in Lucknow on October 6, 2026. The hosts lost two early wickets in chase of 172, but Shreyas Iyer took charge with a masterful unbeaten century.
Iyer's aggressive batting helped India finish the chase with plenty of time to spare and gave the hosts a 1-0 lead in the series.
West Indies Score 171
West Indies batted first after India chose to bowl. Their innings started poorly as India’s bowlers picked up wickets early.
However, Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford helped West Indies recover. Hope scored 52 runs from 37 balls, Rutherford made 56 from 34 balls.
Their partnership gave West Indies a strong finish and helped them reach 171 before they were bowled out in 19.1 overs.
India's bowlers shared the wickets well. Naman Dhir made a good T20I debut with three wickets and Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel also played a role.
India Lose Two Early Wickets
India’s chase started on a positive note but soon fell victim.
Abhishek Sharma scored 21 from just 10 balls before being dismissed. Sanju Samson then fell for 11, leaving India at 35 for two.
At that stage, West Indies had a chance to put pressure on India. But Shreyas Iyer had other plans.
Iyer Changes the Game
Iyer started slowly before going full speed. Once he got his rhythm, the West Indies bowlers struggled to stop him.
He played a mix of powerful drives, boundaries and sixes and kept India’s required run rate under control.
Iyer also had some good support from Ishan Kishan. The two had an undefeated 137-run partnership, taking India from 35/2 to the winning target.
Kishan remained unbeaten on 37 from 27 balls and played an important supporting role.
No better way to bring up your maiden T20I ton! 🤩 🎥 Relive Captain Shreyas Iyer's 𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 🔥 Updates ▶️ https://t.co/2czVyKWreK #TeamIndia | #INDvWI | @mflone_ | @ShreyasIyer15 https://t.co/LGOfKb5SYx
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 6, 2026
Shreyas Iyer Hits Maiden T20I Century
The biggest moment of the match came when Iyer reached his maiden T20I century.
He completed the hundred in just 42 balls and finished unbeaten on 102 from 43 deliveries. His innings contained 10 fours and six sixes.
Iyer's strike rate showed how aggressively he batted, especially after India lost two early wickets.
He stayed at the crease until the end and helped India reach 172/2 in only 14.4 overs.
India Take 1-0 Lead
India's eight-wicket victory was an excellent start to the T20I series. The early loss of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson briefly gave West Indies hope, but Iyer's outstanding innings completely changed the match.
For India, the victory will give them confidence going into the second T20I. Iyer’s century was especially important as he led the chase from the front and made sure India never came under serious pressure.
West Indies, meanwhile, will need to find answers to India's strong batting attack in the next game.
The second T20I will see the visitors have a chance to level the series and India will continue to build on their excellent performance.
