Lights, pressure, action: Eden set for run-feast as India take on WI
Kolkata: When India take on the West Indies under lights at Eden Gardens tomorrow, it will feel like a knockout before the knockout. Both sides have been beaten by South Africa in the Super 8s. Both remain alive, yet vulnerable. And both know that another defeat will extinguish their semi-final hopes.
India arrive in Kolkata buoyed by a 72-run win over Zimbabwe in Chennai, a result that restored fluency to a batting unit searching for rhythm and eased scrutiny over roles and combinations. West Indies, meanwhile, are looking to rediscover their flow after South Africa disrupted their momentum in Motera. Between them stands a venue that rarely allows matches to drift and almost always produces swings in momentum.
West Indies hold a slight edge in familiarity, having already played at Eden Gardens in this tournament. They understand how quickly the outfield gathers pace once the ball pierces the infield, how inviting the straight boundaries can be, and how the ball may shape early under lights. India, playing here for the first time in this World Cup, will lean on instinct and the surge of home support at a ground that traditionally amplifies their structure and control.
Conditions point towards a high-scoring contest. The pitch — likely the same strip that produced the tournament’s first 200-plus total — has offered even pace and carry. That should encourage strokeplay while also providing early assistance to quicks such as Jasprit Bumrah and the West Indies pace attack.
As the surface wears, spinners like Varun Chakravarthy and the Caribbean tweakers could influence the middle overs. Dew later in the evening may make the toss decisive — bowling second could become significantly tougher.
India’s campaign has largely been a search for balance. Their batting, at times caught between caution and overcorrection, rediscovered clarity against Zimbabwe through a phased innings: steady starts, consolidation in the middle, and acceleration at the death.
Yet concerns linger around the bowling mix, particularly the sixth option and the overs immediately after the Powerplay — phases that can be exploited by explosive hitters like Shimron Hetmyer and Romario Shepherd, who bats deep.
West Indies have been among the most expressive sides in the competition. Their batting often arrives in bursts — clusters of boundaries, a lull, and then another surge.
