India dangerous in T20Is but West Indies won’t back down: Akeal Hosein

Akeal Hosein acknowledged the challenge posed by India but insisted West Indies will not be intimidated as the two sides begin their five-match T20I series in Lucknow on Tuesday. India come into the series having won the previous ODI contest 2-1, while West Indies will be looking to build on their strong finish to this series.

West Indies have historically struggled in T20Is in India. They have won only two of their 12 T20Is on Indian soil in bilateral series, while India have dominated the overall head-to-head record, winning 20 of the 31 matches between the teams.

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But Hosein believes the visitors have no reason to back down. He said the series will ultimately come down to which team plans better and executes those plans more effectively.

“They (India) know the brand of cricket we play. We know they are a dangerous team but we will not back down either,” Hosein said at the pre-match press conference.

“Both teams are looking forward to the challenge. It’s just about who can plan it best and who can execute it best. We’ll focus on the things we can control.”

INDIA’S BEST ORDER BIG THREAT

One of West Indies’ biggest challenges will be India’s batting at the top. Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan give India an explosive combination capable of putting the attack under pressure from the opening overs.

All three are part of India’s T20I squad for the series, with Abhishek and Samson up top among the options and Ishan providing another aggressive left-handed presence.

Hosein admitted that bowling during a power over against such a line-up can be particularly challenging, especially for a spinner. With only two fielders allowed outside the circle, batsmen can attack almost any delivery, with even small mistakes being costly.

“I mean you’re not afraid of playing in a new world, you’ve actually enjoyed the challenge. We know India’s best T20 players are the top 3, how devastating it looks,” Hosein said.

“I think bowling in the power play is generally quite scary, especially when you’re a spinner. You have a short space on the pitch to work with and then you’ve got two guys outside. It’s also extra difficult when you’ve got good batting surfaces and these guys who are attacking at a high rate,” he added.

West Indies do not have happy memories of playing T20Is in India as they have lost all the four bilateral series they have played there, once against Afghanistan and thrice against India. India whitewashed them 3-0 on both occasions when they toured India in 2018 and 2022.

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