Shreyas Iyers Century Powers India to Victory Over West Indies

India made a brilliant start to the five-match T20I series against the West Indies, riding on a destructive unbeaten century from captain Shreyas Iyer. In the first T20I at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, the hosts defeated the West Indies by eight wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

After winning the toss, India captain Shreyas Iyer opted to field first. Batting first, the West Indies were bowled out for 171 with five balls remaining in their allotted 20 overs. Captain Shai Hope’s 52 off 37 balls and Sherfane Rutherford’s explosive 56 off 34 balls helped the visitors post a competitive total. Among the other batters, Nicholas Pooran managed only 12, while Rovman Powell was dismissed for a duck.

For India, debutant all-rounder Naman Dhir made an immediate impact, claiming three wickets for 31 runs in his four overs. Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav picked up two wickets each, while Arshdeep Singh and Mayank Yadav took one wicket apiece.

Chasing 172 for victory, India found themselves under pressure after losing Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, who scored 11, for just 35 runs. However, that was when Shreyas Iyer took charge. Producing the best batting performance of his career, Iyer smashed an unforgettable unbeaten 102 off just 43 balls. His innings came at a staggering strike rate of 237.21 and featured 10 fours and six sixes. At the other end, Ishan Kishan provided excellent support with a 27-ball 37.

The responsible yet aggressive partnership between Iyer and Kishan guided India to victory in just 14.4 overs, with 32 balls to spare. For the West Indies, Akeal Hosein, playing his 100th T20 match, dismissed Samson, while Roston Chase claimed the other wicket.

Following their gold-medal triumph at the 2026 Asian Games, this emphatic victory further underlined India’s excellent run of form. The Caribbean side will be desperate to bounce back and level the series in the second T20I.