Akeal Hosein stands one cap short of 100 as West Indies open the T20I series in Lucknow

West Indies open the T20I series in Lucknow with a record chase fresh in the memory and Akeal Hosein one appearance short of 100 caps

Akeal Hosein has played 99 Twenty20 internationals for West Indies, and on Monday he was careful not to treat the hundredth as settled. "I'm still on 99 games; I have to get selected to play my 100th," the left-arm spinner said at the pre-match press conference in Lucknow.

The first of five matches against India begins on Tuesday at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, the opening leg of a series that moves on to Ranchi, Indore, Hyderabad and Bengaluru before it closes on 17 October.

India come in from an Asian Games gold medal and a 2-1 one-day series win. West Indies come in from the one match of it they took, a chase of 352 in New Chandigarh that stands as their highest successful pursuit against India.

Ninety-nine and one to go

Hosein made his T20I debut against South Africa in July 2021 and has been a fixture in the side since, often bowling inside the powerplay on surfaces that offer a spinner very little.

He treated the milestone as a marker rather than a summit. "Who knows if I can make 100 more?" he said.

Asked whether he still thought about the bowling rankings, he did not hedge. "Always. I've been number one before, and the aim is always to get back there."

The chase that travelled with them

West Indies lost the three-match one-day series, but the last of it gave them something to carry into the Twenty20s. Set 352 in New Chandigarh, they got there with five wickets and ten balls to spare.

Captain Shai Hope was unbeaten on 162, and Keemo Paul added 44 from 35 balls lower down. It was the sort of evening that changes what a touring side believes is available to it.

India still took the series, having won the first two matches in Thiruvananthapuram and Guwahati by eight wickets apiece.

Plans against a fast-starting top order

Hosein's immediate problem is India's top three, a group that attacks spin from the first over rather than seeing it off. Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan all hit through the line early.

"It's just about trying to form your plans as quick as possible, try and stay ahead of the batsman and try and stick to what's working," he said.

He was clear that preparation only takes a bowler so far. "Sometimes you have to let your instincts take over because, just as you are looking at data and trying to exploit a batter's weaknesses, they are also looking at data to get better."

The Ekana pitch has generally rewarded batting, with spinners coming into the match as the surface slows, which puts a premium on the overs Hosein bowls before it does.

Team news on both sides

Amir Jangoo has joined the touring party as wicketkeeping cover after Jewel Andrew injured a finger in the third one-dayer. Shimron Hetmyer is back in the T20I group after an extended recovery period following the CPL, and uncapped Kamil Pooran is in a West Indies squad for the first time. Jason Holder has been rested.

India are without Jasprit Bumrah, who has been rested for the series, with Mayank Yadav among the quicker options in a squad led by Shreyas Iyer and deputised by Tilak Varma.

History is not on their side

West Indies were beaten 3-0 on each of their last two short-format tours of India, in 2018 and in 2022.

Hosein did not pretend otherwise, and did not concede anything either. "They (India) know the brand of cricket we play. We know they're a dangerous team but we're not going to back down as well," he said.

"Both teams are looking forward to the challenge. It's just about who plans it best and who executes it best."

The first T20I starts at 7pm IST in Lucknow, with the remaining four played over the following eleven days.

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