The semifinal line-up of the 2026 T20 World Cup awaits its final entrant. England and New Zealand have advanced from Group 1, while South Africa qualified from Group 2. The picture will be complete on Saturday when defending champions India take on West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata in what has effectively been billed as a virtual quarterfinal.
India suffered their first setback of the tournament last Sunday, when South Africa handed them their heaviest defeat in T20 World Cup history, a 76-run thrashing in Ahmedabad. The loss pushed India to the brink after they had cruised through Group A unbeaten. However, following a period of introspection, the team bounced back with a win over Zimbabwe. With the high-flying West Indies also stunned by the Proteas, India now have a clear opportunity to seal their semifinal berth.
A win is all India need to reach the last four, where they will face England next week. But could rain play spoilsport in this must-win clash in Kolkata?
Kolkata weather report for India vs West Indies
The city witnessed an unexpected spell of morning rain earlier this week, briefly ending a prolonged dry stretch. However, Sunday’s forecast looks ideal for cricket, with virtually no chance of rain.
According to AccuWeather, clear skies are expected in the evening with around 17 percent cloud cover. The temperature at toss time is likely to hover around a pleasant 27°C, gradually dipping to 24°C as the night progresses. Humidity is expected to rise from 46 percent to approximately 69 percent, but the probability of precipitation remains at zero throughout the match window.
What if the match is abandoned?
While forecasts suggest minimal risk of rain, an abandonment would result in both teams sharing a point. In that scenario, West Indies would progress to the semifinals ahead of India due to a superior net run rate.
Eden Gardens pitch report
West Indies head coach Darren Sammy observed during his pre-match press conference that the surface appears dry, although a hint of green was visible on the eve of the game.
Traditionally, Eden Gardens has been batting-friendly, and this World Cup has seen several high-scoring contests at the venue. However, all five matches played here so far have been day fixtures, leaving some uncertainty about how the pitch may behave under lights.
India hold a perfect four-from-four T20I record against West Indies in Kolkata. However, they have lost three of their four World Cup meetings against the Caribbean side, with their only victory coming in the 2014 edition in Mirpur, when Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli guided them to a seven-wicket win. Overall, India lead the head-to-head 19-11 in 30 T20 encounters.
