West Indies return to the hallowed halls of Eden Gardens for a virtual quarter-final against India. Windies, who played the 2016 T20 World Cup final at the same venue, will be looking to recreate the same Calypso style they were able to display against England, who were favorites to win this match till the final.
That night wasn’t just about the trophy. It was about theater. It was nerve wracking. It was about a team that refused to follow the script.
On that sultry April evening, Calcutta witnessed one of the greatest moments in the history of cricket when Carlos Brathwaite hit four sixes against Ben Stokes to crown West Indies world champions again. It was one of the biggest closing acts the format has ever seen; a burst of audacity that defined a generation. Carlos Brathwaite hit four consecutive sixes in the T20 World Cup 2016 final at Eden Gardens. (Image: Reuters)
This memory will not be lost on this present page.
West Indies Shai Hope will be hoping to rekindle the same inspiration against pre-tournament favourites, India, who may have finally given a warning sign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup T20 when they hit 256 runs against Zimbabwe, the second-highest total in the competition’s history.
However, it would be a mistake to count out the West Indies.
Three days before India made the second-highest total, it was the West Indies who crushed Zimbabwe. The same Zimbabwe that knocked out Australia earlier. The same Zimbabwe briefly threatened to become the surprise of the tournament. However, the Windies dismantled them without fuss. And that’s what this team is all about. When they click, they don’t just win. They overwhelm.
DO NOT COUNT WEST INDIES
West Indies enter the game against India in the most western way possible. After a horrendous loss against South Africa, who by the way have started to look like the team to beat this tournament since their narrow escape against Afghanistan.
Windies failed to bat well, scoring only 176 in Ahmedabad on a pitch that looked par 220-230. The bowling wasn’t much to write home about either South Africa chased the total down by just 16.1 overson the back of Aiden Markram’s sensational 82* off 46 balls. West Indies were beaten by South Africa earlier in the 2026 FIFA World Cup T20. (Image: AP)
It was an exhausting night. That wasn’t entirely surprising either.
But if tournament cricket has taught us anything, it’s that this West Indies team is rarely linear. It is not built sparingly. They do not progress predictably. They oscillate.
And in this oscillation lies both their weakness and their threat.
In third place is Shimron Hetmyer who is enjoying his new role in the tournament. When Hetmyer settles in, he turns the pressure on the overs thing. If you get Shimron, the incredible Sherfane Rutherford is waiting at the bottom of the batting order, ready to pounce at any opportunity. In addition to these two southpaws are Rovman Powell and No. 10 Romario Shepherd, both capable forwards who can change the mood of a game. Shimron Hetmyer was the standout batsman for West Indies at the 2026 T20 World Cup. (Image: AP)
And that makes them dangerous. The game is never over until all their doughs are gone. Even though the Windies are quiet, they feel they are away from a blowout.
Interestingly, West Indies are balancing this with measured batsmen like Brandon King, Shai Hope and Roston Chase who are not your traditional T20 bashers. They are accumulators. Holds shape. And on days when shooters are unable to shoot, they can play it safe until one shooter in the game finally explodes.
Perhaps West Indies’ greatest tragedy is that on most days the batting doesn’t click, and on the days it does, they look like world class batsmen.
And that is perhaps the magic West Indies would like to conjure up in Eden – a ground that has seen some incredible T20 games in the recent past.
Almost 10 years ago, Eden delivered a magical final in 2016. More recently, he produced a high-scoring thriller between Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, where the hosts lost despite scoring 261. Last year’s hundred Jos Buttler surpassed Sunil Narine’s 109 to help Rajasthan Royals knock off KKR. Eden has a knack for creating drama on days when it looks like it would be a one-sided contest.
West Indies have played two matches at the Eden Gardens so far in this T20 World Cup – against a relatively unprepared Scotland and tiny Italy. Against Scotland, Hetmyer and Shepherd earned them 35 wins.
Shepherd posted tournament best figures of 5/20, which included a hat-trick. A reminder that this team isn’t all about batting chaos. He can also turn ball plays.
WEST INDIES ARMY OF SPINNERS
In some respects, West Indies have what it takes to match India well.
Shimron Hetmyer is one of the best spin bashers in the world. In order, Rutherford and Shepherd can target the sixth bowler and pick the bones from him if a match appears.
In the bowling unit, the Windies have an army of spinners, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie and Roston Chase – who, while not necessarily world-beaters, operate with control. Given India’s recent weaknesses against sustained slow bowling, they might quietly relish this contest. Gudakesh Motie was West Indies’ best bowler in the T20 World Cup 2026. (Image: PTI)
However, the West Indies team is not without problems.
Openers Brandon King and Shai Hope aren’t always impressive. Their only specialist fast bowler, Shamar Joseph, conceded a lot of runs in the tournament. The fast bowler, who rose to prominence in the Test format, is yet to fully translate that threat into white-ball cricket and has also been embroiled in off-field controversies.
But that is the West Indies in many ways.
They were never safe. Always a bit volatile. Often controversial. Always with visible cracks in the armor. And yet the first team to win two T20 World Cups.
They do not promise control. They promise the possibility.
After stumbling in the last World Cup in their own backyard, there would be some symmetry if this Windies unit could knock the home favorites out of the tournament at the Eden Gardens.
It would be fitting if this game refused to follow logic. It will probably rock. It will probably sway. It will probably drag on until the last minute.
And if so, don’t be surprised to see Eden hold her breath again. Either way, expect it to unfold as calypsically as possible – unpredictable, rhythmic, slightly chaotic and impossible to ignore.
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– The end
Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
28 Feb 2026 02:00 IST
