Before the Asian Games semi-final, Sanju Samson stated the team's readiness for unknown conditions in Nagoya

For the West Indies, the upcoming three-match series in one-day format against India is not just another bilateral tournament. The head coach of the team, Daren Sammy, views this visit as a serious test for the squad ahead of the One Day World Cup qualifiers next year. Furthermore, the team aims to end the 24-year period without victories in bilateral series in India.

The first match of the series is scheduled for Sunday, the 27th, and will take place in Thiruvananthapuram. Before the game, Sammy emphasized that playing in India will give the team an opportunity to assess its standing in the ODI format. The West Indies have not won any bilateral series in India for the past twenty-four years. Sammy noted that the team has a great chance to demonstrate itself and defeat India.

The West Indies could not directly qualify for the top-8 teams in the 2027 ODI World Cup, as only they and South Africa guarantee themselves a spot. Currently, the West Indies are ranked tenth. Even a confident victory over India does not guarantee them a change in their current position. Consequently, the team will have to fight for a spot in the tournament through qualifiers for the third consecutive time.

In Sammy's opinion, to succeed in a major international tournament, especially in the baseball format, it is crucial to win against India. He believes that a loss to the Indian team on home soil will give the West Indies an idea of how competitive they can be on the world stage. Sammy named the February qualifier as the team's main priority, and the series against India will serve as an opportunity for continuous improvement and squad preparation, which will help secure a spot in the qualification, perhaps via South Africa.

Sammy also sees positive trends in the team's development. He stated that success is no longer dependent on one or two players, but various athletes contribute to victories. Although he admitted that the West Indies did not receive an automatic invitation, the team has significantly improved its situation compared to the previous period. Previously, the team lagged by 19-20 points, and now it is only six points away from automatic qualification, which, according to Sammy, indicates progress.

Key contributors to the team include Shy Hope, as well as Amir Jangu, who scored one hundred runs, and Sherfen Radford, whose performance was noted. Sammy mentioned that the team was looking for this form in the 2024-25 season. Alzari Joseph also returned to good bowling form, helping recently win the CPL Antig title. This is why Sammy plans to give every player a chance in the three matches against India.

The coach also highly praised the performance of 19-year-old left-arm spinner Vitil Lodge. He debuted in an ODI against New Zealand in July and took eight wickets in five matches. Sammy called Vitil a discovery for the West Indies. According to him, the decision to debut against New Zealand was part of a pre-planned strategy. Sammy had long expressed the need for a wrist spinner in the squad, and Vitil influenced the bowling unit immediately after his appearance. Nevertheless, Sammy understands that Vitil still has a long way to go in his development. The team will continue to work on his development, providing him with special training alongside matches. During the tour, he interacted well with Nikita Miller and Ravi Rampal. Sammy noted that Vitil was promoted slightly faster than planned, but his results are currently pleasing the team.

First ODI: September 27, 2026, in Thiruvananthapuram.
Second ODI: September 30, 2026, in Guwahati.
Third ODI: October 3, 2026, in Chandigarh.
First T20: October 6, 2026, in Lucknow.
Second T20: October 9, 2026, in Ranchi.
Third T20: October 11, 2026, in Indore.
Fourth T20: October 14, 2026, in Hyderabad.
Fifth T20: October 17, 2026, in Bangalore.

Despite the perceived large gap between India and Japan, the match at Sanno International Stadium on Tuesday, played in a five-over format, completely changed perceptions of the upcoming rivalry. The Japanese team, whom many considered incapable of facing Indian bowlers, managed to keep India under pressure until the final delivery. Ultimately, India won by only two runs, but this result raised several questions.

One of the most significant issues was Vaibha Suryavanshi's inability to participate in the match. Due to rain, the game was shortened to five overs. Under these conditions, India kept its starting pair of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, leaving Vaibha out of the squad. Abhishek returned after coming onto the field without scoring a single run, while Samson managed only 9 runs.

India had the option of using Vaibha for an aggressive game approach, but the team management decided to stick with the established starting combination. The situation was complicated by the fact that the Indian attack stumbled, losing four batsmen while scoring 32 runs in five overs.

Since Vaibha Suryavanshi was not in the squad, he was seen on the field during the match distributing water to the players. The young batsman, from whom bright shots were expected, served solely as a 'water boy' in this game. He was visible on the field handing water to the players, and his facial expression was captured by the camera.

This match also held significance in the context of celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Japan. Both teams are preparing for participation in the Asian Games, where India is scheduled to start its tournament in the quarterfinals. Thus, this confrontation served as an opportunity for India to test its readiness for the Asian Games.

When the match was shortened to five overs due to rain, the question naturally arose as to why the young and explosive batsman Vaibha Suryavanshi was not used. However, the Indian team retained the opening pair of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, and Vaibha did not get a spot in the squad. The result was the halting of India's score at 32 runs against the Japanese spinners.

The problem for the Indian batsmen was not the strength of the known bowlers, but the Japanese spinners, against whom it was expected that the Indian players would hit powerfully. The pitch was humid, and the ball spun more than expected, which became a weapon for the Japanese bowlers.

Charlie Hara edged Abhishek Sharma for zero. Abhishek attempted a slog sweep but lost his timing. Following this, Ibrahim Takahashi forced Samson to play in the air for 9 runs, and he was caught at mid-wicket. Ishan Kishan also returned with three runs; he continued to try hitting against constant spin and was caught at mid-off.

Captain Shreyas Iyer scored 16 runs, but even he could not play freely due to the slow pace and spin of the pitch. In the Indian innings, only three-quarters were scored.

With such a small target of 32 runs, one might have assumed India would finish the match by several runs. However, in this unusual five-over contest, this small score became a pressure point for India. In the third over, Ravi Bishnoi earned 10 runs for Japan, and Washington Sundar conceded seven runs in the fourth over. In the last over, Japan needed only eight runs.

It was the experienced Akshar Patel who saved India. With over 150 IPL matches of experience, Akshar did not give the Japanese batsmen a chance to flourish in the last over. He placed the ball in such a way that Shirai Patmore and Benjamin Ito-Davis were unable to hit powerful shots.

Due to the rain, the pitch was also slow, which complicated matters for Japan. On the last delivery of Japan, a boundary was required, but Akshar Patel prevented this. Shirai Patmore tried to hit over the line, but the ball hit the pad and went towards the fine leg, and the batsman could only run one run. Thus, Japan's hope for a historic comeback ended, and India won a very tense match by a margin of two runs. Disappointment was evident on the faces of the Japanese batsmen, as they were confident they were very close to one of the greatest turns in cricket.

The drama in the last over intensified when umpire Chris Torgate called two wide balls against Patmore, who was attempting a reverse slog. India's captain Shreyas Iyer expressed disagreement with the on-field umpire Chris Brown. The decision on the second wide was ultimately overturned. This meant that in the final moments of the match, India was fighting not only against the Japanese batsmen but also against the decisions of the umpires.

Vaibha remained out of the game, but the match raised a second question.

The approach of the strong cyclone 'Dozuan', raging in eastern territories of Japan, has created serious obstacles for the upcoming historic match between the Indian and Japanese national teams. Due to adverse weather conditions and heavy rains, the Indian team, led by Shreyas Iyer, was unable to conduct its final pre-match training session.

Cyclone 'Dozuan' has been strongly affecting Japan for the last two days. Strong winds and torrential rains have completely disrupted daily life. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warned that the storm is passing near the Tokyo metropolitan area, which could worsen the situation.

As a result of this storm, at least 275 flights were canceled in Japan, and numerous railway services in Tokyo and surrounding areas were suspended. Furthermore, the major video game exhibition 'Tokyo Game Show' was closed early, and equestrian competitions within the Asian Games were postponed until Tuesday as a precaution.

The match between the two countries is scheduled for Tuesday at the Sano International Cricket Stadium, located approximately 100 kilometers from Tokyo. This game holds great significance in the context of celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, as well as in preparation for the upcoming Asian Games and the Suzuki Cup.

However, due to the storm, the Indian team had to remain off the field, depriving players of their last chance to familiarize themselves with local conditions and pitch characteristics. Before the match, captain Shreyas Iyer highly praised the hospitality of the Japanese people and the general atmosphere, noting that the people are very responsive and kind. Nevertheless, he admitted that the lack of information about local conditions and pitch status could be an issue but assured that the team is fully prepared for this confrontation.

Despite the fact that on paper the T20 World Champion India looks stronger than Japan, which lags significantly in the rankings, all attention is currently focused on the weather conditions.