Shreyas Iyer struck an unbeaten 102 from 43 balls as India beat West Indies by eight wickets in the opening T20 international in Lucknow on Tuesday night, turning a 172-run chase into a comfortable win with 32 balls remaining.
Published: 7 October 2026 (IST).
Cover illustration updated 16 October 2026: Original AI-assisted editorial illustration created exclusively for this article by Taaza Khabar with the built-in image generation tool. Conceptual cricket illustration of an anonymous batter; not a photograph of Shreyas Iyer or the match. Original publication date retained.
Key points
- Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 102 powered India to an eight-wicket win over West Indies in Lucknow.
- West Indies made 171 before India reached 172 for two in 14.4 overs to take a 1-0 series lead.
- Naman Dhir took three wickets on debut, giving India an early breakthrough before Iyer dominated the chase.
Iyer takes control of the chase
ESPNcricinfo’s match report records India at 172 for two after West Indies were dismissed for 171. Iyer finished on 102 not out, his maiden T20 international century, while Ishan Kishan was unbeaten on 37. India completed the chase in 14.4 overs, leaving more than five overs unused.
Iyer’s innings gave India control of the match after the bowlers had kept West Indies to a total that looked competitive but not decisive on the Lucknow surface. The result puts India 1-0 ahead in the five-match series.
Dhir makes an impact on debut
Naman Dhir returned figures of three for 31 on his T20I debut. West Indies’ strongest resistance came from Sherfane Rutherford, who scored 56, while India also received useful contributions from the rest of the attack to bowl the visitors out in 19.1 overs.
Why it matters
The win gives India the early advantage in a short five-match series and immediately changes the context from the pre-match questions around combinations to how West Indies can slow India’s batting tempo. Iyer’s hundred is also a significant individual marker as captain. Read our pre-match report from October 6 and more updates in Taaza Khabar’s Sports section.
Sources
- ESPNcricinfo — 1st T20I match report
- Jagran Josh — match result and score details
- Outlook India/PTI — match report
AI-assisted editorial disclosure: This article was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed against the linked sources before publication.
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