T20 World Cup 2026: Super Eights, Match 52, IND vs WI – Top 3 player battles to watch out for

The India versus West Indies clash in the Super Eights of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be played on Sunday, March 1, at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. This mouthwatering clash is also poised to act as a virtual quarter-final, as the winner is slated to qualify for the semi-finals, whereas the loser will have to pack their bags and end the campaign right there.

From India, in-form batters Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav will be in focus, whereas Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy are expected to hold the key with the ball. For the Caribbean side, on the other hand, Shimron Hetmyer and Jason Holder will play crucial roles with the bat, while Shamar Joseph and Roston Chase are expected to run through the ranks of the Indian unit.

Here are 3 player battles to watch out for in India vs West Indies, Match 52 of the T20 World Cup 2026

3. Shimron Hetmyer vs Varun Chakravarthy

Left-hand batter Shimron Hetmyer‘s struggles against leg spinners are quite evident, which makes Varun Chakravarthy a key bowler to contain the flow of runs from the Caribbean player’s bat. The two have never faced each other in any T20I international before this but have an interesting stat, going shoulder-to-shoulder in the Indian Premier League.

Hetmyer has faced 17 balls against Chakravarthy in 20-over cricket, and the latter has dominated completely, conceding only 16 runs while also dismissing the batter twice. Not only that, Hetmyer has managed to hit a single boundary off Chakravarthy’s bowling thus far, which makes their battle worth watching on Sunday.

2. Jasprit Bumrah vs Shai Hope

Ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah has the ability to strike instantly and create an early impact with the ball. In the ongoing tournament, Bumrah has often delivered tight spells, restricting the batters from opening their arms and taking advantage of the powerplay overs. Caribbean captain Shai Hope, on the other hand, takes a bit of time to settle in but can take charge right away to punish the loose deliveries.

Bumrah is one of the most crucial aspects of the Indian bowling line-up, which makes it interesting to see how he fares against the Windies opener, who has yet to make a huge impact with the bat for the two-time champions in the ongoing tournament. The two have never gone head-to-head against each other in the shortest format of the game.

1. Abhishek Sharma vs Roston Chase

Indian opener Abhishek Sharma has struggled heavily against off-spinners in the ongoing edition of the T20 World Cup. The No. 1-ranked T20I batter threw away his wickets to Aryan Dutt and Agha Salman earlier in the tournament. As a result, it will be a no-brainer choice for the West Indies to deploy Roston Chase on duty from the very first over, trying to hold an advantage over Abhishek’s struggles.

Abhishek has taken a bit of time to rediscover his lost form, but now that he is looking in great rhythm, he would want to play a fearless brand of cricket against Chase as well. He must have done some homework after his previous dismissals, which will finally be examined when the two players cross swords at the Eden Gardens. The two have never faced each other.