West Indies to bowl first in third T20I at Indore

West Indies will bowl first against India in the third Twenty20 international at Holkar Stadium in Indore on October 11, 2026. The match follows West Indies' record-breaking chase in Ranchi that levelled the series.

Play is scheduled on the centre pitch and conditions have been described as batting-friendly, with short boundaries expected to keep bowlers under pressure. The boundary measures are 72 metres straight, 63 metres square on either side and 55 metres behind the stumps. Only four T20 internationals have been played at this venue, with the average first-innings score standing at 200.

Tilak Varma: [On his current form and his achievements as a World Cup winner, Asia Cup winner and Asian Games winner] First of all, thank you for mentioning that about the Asian Games and World Cup. It always feels good whenever I listen about that. And right now, my form also is going really good.

Tilak Varma: [On adapting to batting at No.5 and No.6 after being accustomed to batting higher up the order] Honestly, I haven't played much at No.4. During the World Cup, I was batting at five and six. So mentally and in practice also, I have really worked hard.

The pitch has been described as hard and rolled well, with some grass on the surface primarily to hold the pitch together rather than to assist bowlers. Dew could become a factor later in the evening, and the curator expects some dew despite an anti-dew agent having been sprayed around the ground. There was dew two days ago, although the amount was lower yesterday.

With India and the West Indies among the two best six-hitting teams in 2026, the short boundaries combined with the batting-friendly surface could produce a high-scoring contest. Sides batting second have won all the T20Is and ODIs played in the series so far, a pattern that could influence team strategy in Indore.

The Ranchi thriller witnessed a staggering 501 runs as the Caribbean side pulled off a record-breaking chase to level the series. India will be desperate to bounce back, while West Indies will look to carry their momentum forward; with the series level, the third T20I in Indore — where West Indies will bowl first — will decide the series winner.