Shreyas Iyer picked the perfect night to score his first T20I hundred. Leading India in the shortest format, the captain smashed an unbeaten 102 off just 42 balls as India thrashed West Indies by eight wickets in the first T20I at Lucknow's Ekana Stadium on Tuesday, October 6. Chasing 172, India got home in 14.4 overs, with 32 balls to spare, to go 1-0 up in the five-match series.
On a night when debutant Naman Dhir also grabbed three wickets, the win stretched India's run to ten T20I victories in a row, and it sent a clear message to a West Indies side that had arrived in the T20 leg full of confidence after the ODIs.
How West Indies got to 171
India won the toss and chose to bowl first. For a while, it looked like a decision that might backfire. Captain Shai Hope, still in the form that produced a stunning unbeaten 162 in the third ODI on October 3, took the attack to India's new-ball bowlers and made 52 off 37 balls.
Sherfane Rutherford was the other big contributor with 56 off 34 balls. But West Indies never strung together the kind of partnership that turns a good total into a great one. Wickets kept falling at the wrong moments, and they were bowled out for 171 in 19.1 overs, a par score at best on a good batting surface.
Naman Dhir's dream debut
The standout with the ball was Naman Dhir. Handed his T20I cap, the young all-rounder finished with 3 for 31, a big return for someone playing his first match at this level. Kuldeep Yadav was typically clever through the middle overs and took 2 for 33, while Axar Patel also chipped in with two wickets and Arshdeep Singh picked up a wicket as well.
Iyer turns a wobble into a rout
India's chase did not start smoothly. Abhishek Sharma made 21 and Sanju Samson fell for 11, and at 35 for 2 after four overs there was a flicker of hope for the visitors.
Then Iyer took over. He found the boundary at will, picking the gaps on both sides and clearing the ropes when the bowlers dropped short or full. Ishan Kishan played the ideal supporting role at the other end, rotating the strike and finishing unbeaten on 37. The pair added an unbroken 137 for the third wicket, and by the time Iyer brought up his hundred, the contest was effectively over.
Akeal Hosein, who was playing his 100th T20I for West Indies, was the only bowler to take a wicket, finishing with 1 for 37.
Match summary at a glance
| Detail | 1st T20I, India vs West Indies |
|---|---|
| Date and venue | October 6, 2026, Ekana Stadium, Lucknow |
| Toss | India, chose to bowl |
| West Indies | 171 all out in 19.1 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 56, Shai Hope 52) |
| India bowling | Naman Dhir 3/31, Kuldeep Yadav 2/33, Axar Patel 2 wickets |
| India | 172/2 in 14.4 overs (Shreyas Iyer 102* off 42, Ishan Kishan 37*) |
| Result | India won by 8 wickets (32 balls remaining) |
| Player of the Match | Shreyas Iyer |
| Series | India lead 1-0 (five-match series) |
Why this hundred matters for Shreyas Iyer
Iyer has had a long, winding journey in Indian cricket. He has been a regular in ODIs and a proven IPL captain, but his T20I career had never quite produced a signature innings. A maiden hundred, scored as captain and in a chase, changes that story.
It also eases pressure on a young-looking T20I set-up. With Tilak Varma as vice-captain and names such as Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Mayank Yadav in the squad, this is a group the selectors are clearly building for the future. A captain leading from the front gives that group a steady centre.
For fans in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, there is extra interest: Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy are both part of the squad, and the fourth T20I is scheduled for Hyderabad.
What West Indies must fix
Hope's form is the biggest positive for the visitors, but the middle order needs to support him. Against a bowling attack with Kuldeep, Axar and now Dhir, losing wickets in clusters is costly. With the ball, the West Indies bowlers will need a sharper plan for Iyer, who looked comfortable against both pace and spin.
What happens next: remaining schedule
The series moves quickly, with matches every two or three days. All games start at 7 pm IST.
- 2nd T20I: Friday, October 9, Ranchi
- 3rd T20I: Sunday, October 11, Indore
- 4th T20I: Wednesday, October 14, Hyderabad
- 5th T20I: Saturday, October 17, Bengaluru
India will go to Ranchi looking to extend their winning streak to 11, while West Indies will hope Hope finds some company. On this evidence, though, Iyer's side looks very hard to stop.
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