IND vs WI 3rd T20: Will Kuldeep Yadav, Shami make it to India playing 11?

Given the way West Indian batsmen scored in the 2nd T20, Virat Kohli and company will need to up their game in all departments to be a match to this young Caribbean side

When India national cricket team take on Windies cricket team in the last T20 International of a three-match series at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday, they will be in the hunt for yet another bilateral series win. Their fans would expect to see some power hitting, especially as Wankhede has small square boundaries.

CHECK IND vs WI 3rd T20 LIVE score, toss and match commentary here

Though India have not lost a bilateral series at home in recent times, Wednesday’s T20 match will be a different ball game. The way West Indian batsmen Nicholas Pooran and Lendl Simmons scored in the 2nd T20, sending Indian fielders on a constant leather hunt, Virat Kohli and company will definitely need to up their game in all departments to be a match to this young Caribbean side.

India vs West Indies 3rd T20 playing 11 predictions

TEAM INDIA

Top order: Opener Rohit Sharma, who failed to live up to his name in the first two games, would be raring to go, especially on his home ground of Wankhede. K L Rahul and Kohli have been in the midst of runs and would be expected to continue their form and provide some solidity to the top order.

Middle order: Though Shivam Dube proved his mettle at the Number 3 spot, the team management might like to use him for some fireworks down the order. Kohli, who might return to his usual slot, will likely be followed by Shreyas Iyer or Rishabh Pant.

Lower order: Besides Shivam Dube, the department of hard-hitting lower-order batsmen will feature Ravindra Jadeja. Considering that team India has often not been able to defend successfully in their recent matches, they might need some extra runs in death overs.

Bowling department: Having received some brutal badgering from big-hitting Windies batters, Indian bowlers will need to put up a better show if India have to win another series at home. It will be interesting to see whether team management retains Washington Sundar, who has taken only three wickets in his last five T20s at the expense of 144 runs in 23 overs bowled, or gives left-arm chinaman Kuldeep Yadav a game.

India tentative playing 11: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli (C), Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (WK), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar/Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Deepak Chahar/Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar

West Indies playing 11 predictions

The West Indies cricket team displayed some hard-hitting skills in their chase of 170 on a tricky pitch in the second T20, and their bowlers were very economical during death overs. So, captain Kieron Pollard and team management might be prompted to go with an unchanged playing 11.

West Indies tentative playing 11: Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Brandon King, Shimron Hetmyer, Kieron Pollard (C), Nicolas Pooran (wk), Jason Holder, Khary Pierre, Kesrick Williams, Sheldon Cottrell, Hayden Walsh

Scoring patterns at Wankhede Stadium

Average 1st innings score: 187

Average 2nd innings score: 183

Highest Total: 230/8 (19.4 Overs) by England vs South Africa

Lowest Total: 172/10 (20 Overs) by Afghanistan vs South Africa

Highest Chased: 230/8 (19.4 Overs) by England vs South Africa

India vs West Indies head to head in last five T20s

LAST FIVE MATCHES	DATE	SERIES/TOURNAMENT
India 170/7 lost to 173/2 West Indies	8/12/2019	West Indies tour of India 2019/20
India 209/4 beat 207/5 West Indies	6/12/2019	West Indies tour of India 2019/20
India 150/3 beat 146/6 West Indies	6/8/2019	India tour of United States of America and West Indies 2019
India 167/5 beat 98/4 West Indies	4/8/2019	India tour of United States of America and West Indies 2019
India 98/6 beat 95/9 West Indies	3/8/2019	India tour of United States of America and West Indies 2019