Eden Gardens braces for T20 World Cup 2026 fireworks as India tackles West Indies in a Super 8 do-or-die duel on Sunday. Victory is non-negotiable for the hosts to salvage their semifinal dreams after an inauspicious start.
A humiliating 76-run loss to South Africa kicked off India’s Super 8 woes, hammering their net run rate. Enter the Zimbabwe rebound: a dominant 72-run triumph fueled by Abhishek Sharma’s breakthrough half-ton. Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma’s pyrotechnics followed, while Arshdeep Singh (3/24), Varun Chakaravarthy, and Axar Patel orchestrated a bowling masterclass.
West Indies’ form swings wildly—a 107-run Zimbabwe whitewash undone by South Africa’s 9-wicket stroll chasing 177. Despite Holder’s 49 (31 balls) and Shepherd’s 52 (37), their attack faltered catastrophically.
T20 ledger favors India 19-10 over 30 games (1 no-result). Kolkata’s deck promises batting joy with bounce, spin grip later; 161/139 average scores per innings. Weather perfection—no rain, sunny 22-33°C for complete overs.
Strategically, India’s spin depth could exploit WI vulnerabilities, but Caribbean power-hitters lurk. With national pride at stake, this clash could etch new legends in T20 lore.