Past Glory, Present Fight - 'Carlos Brathwaite, Carlos Brathwaite, remember the name' - those immortal words from Ian Bishop still ring in the ears of every cricket fan, probably except the English, and especially Ben Stokes, who was on the receiving end of four straight sixes that sealed West Indies' second T20 World Cup at the iconic Eden Gardens back in 2016, and now, almost a decade later, the same two sides meet again in another legendary Indian venue, the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, as England and West Indies lock horns in a blockbuster Group C clash of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. When two teams who between them own four of the last eight T20 World Cup trophies face off, history does not whisper, it roars, and that is exactly the feeling around this match, with the Windies at the top and England third, Scotland in between them and only net run-rate separating the trio, making every run count even more with the winner set to go top and take control of the group. England's balancing act - England arrive with both confidence and a warning label after scraping past Nepal in a thriller that almost slipped away, rescued only by Sam Curran's ice-cold final over and Will Jacks' outstanding all-round display, while Harry Brook, now leading the side in his first ICC tournament since taking over from Jos Buttler, stamped his authority with a gritty half-century, and Jacob Bethell looked born for the big stage at number three with a fluent fifty of his own. Yet, for all that promise, England know their true firepower lies at the top, where Buttler and Phil Salt, the two highest run-scorers for England in T20Is in 2025, have yet to explode, and with Tom Banton also searching for rhythm, this batting unit still feels like a storm waiting to break. The bowling has similar duality, with Adil Rashid eager to bounce back from an off day, Liam Dawson proving his value with a match-shaping spell against Nepal, and the much-vaunted pace duo of Jofra Archer and Luke Wood needing to deliver the kind of new-ball and death-over authority that has defined England's best white-ball teams. Muscle and menace - West Indies, meanwhile, showcased both their muscle and their menace in a convincing win over Scotland, where Shimron Hetmyer's blazing 64 off 36 and the late hitting of Sherfane Rutherford and Rovman Powell dragged them to a daunting total. However, Shai Hope and Brandon King will want to be more proactive in the Powerplay to truly strangle opponents early and they could also look to bring in Johnson Charles to help with that. Their bowling, though, already looks tournament-ready, led by the unforgettable Romario Shepherd, who produced the first hat-trick of this World Cup and a five-wicket haul that included four wickets in a single over, while Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie offer a smart spin combination. Jason Holder brings both experience and history after becoming the first Windies player to reach 100 T20I wickets, and Shamar Joseph's raw pace adds a layer of fear. Team Form (Last 5 T20Is, latest result first) - England - WWWWW | West Indies - WWLLW. Pitch and Conditions - Conditions could add another aspect to this contest, with dew expected in this night game but the new ball still likely to ask plenty of questions, as seen in the India vs USA match where timing was hard to find early and several stroke-makers struggled to get going. While Wankhede is traditionally a high-scoring venue, batters may have to take a few overs to settle before teeing off, especially with the first two games here also showing there is some assistance for seamers and spinners alike, making smart bowling and shot selection just as important as raw power. What to expect? With West Indies' depth, balance and momentum up against England's pedigree and explosiveness, this clash carries layers of history, with the two sides having already met seven times in T20 World Cups, the Windies winning the first five, including the iconic 2016 final and a group game here in Mumbai lit up by Chris Gayle's unforgettable unbeaten 48-ball hundred. England have wrestled back control by winning the last two meetings, one of them a brutal drubbing where Adil Rashid spun a web to bowl the Windies out for just 55, setting the stage for another swing in this long-running rivalry as it is a collision between two past champions determined to prove that the future of T20 cricket still runs through them.
PAK
USA
ENG
