The West Indies open their ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup Super Eight Group 1 campaign against Zimbabwe knowing there is little room for error today.

After South Africa’s comfortable 76-run win over hosts and tournament favourites India in Ahmedabad on Sunday, the race for the top two semi-final spots has already tightened. With India and South Africa setting the early pace, neither West Indies nor Zimbabwe can afford to lose ground in their first match of the second phase.

The Windies arrive in confident mood. They were perfect in Group C, winning all four matches to top the group. Zimbabwe were also unbeaten in Group B, winning their section with three victories and a no-result due to rain.

Senior cricket pundit Joseph “Reds” Perreira says the West Indies have what it takes to make the right start, though he would make one change to the XI.

“My selection and the best 11 available on form will have to see maybe one change from the team that played against Italy,” Perreira told the Jamaica Observer. “Rovman Powell will probably sit this one out. He has not had a good World Cup. He’s really had a lull in his form and I think that Matthew Forde keeps his place and will take Powell’s place. Shepherd is expected to come back and I would think that with the blend of our spin with [Shamar] Joseph looking to bowl more yorkers, [Jason] Holder looking to bowl the length where he can move the ball on both sides. [Roston] Chase, [Gudakesh] Motie, and [Akeal] Hosein, a nice combination of different priorities.”

Perreira also wants more discipline with the bat, especially from opener Brandon King.

“And I think that King is due,” he said. “If he can bat deep with Hope, and we must be selective. [Shimron] Hetmyer doesn’t have to go helter skelter from the start. He needs to bat five, six, eight overs and must be selective. We have a middle order that can give our bowling something to work with. And I think in the Super Eight it goes up a couple notches. We have to be aiming for a score of over 200. A score of 160 isn’t going to get you any further.”

The middle order has already shown its strength. Sherfane Rutherford carries the team’s highest batting average, 126, boosted by his unbeaten 76 off 42 balls in the 30-run win over England, another tournament favourite.

Romario Shepherd’s possible return could also be decisive. The all-rounder missed the games against Nepal and Italy with a leg injury and was missed. He claimed the tournament’s first hat-trick against Scotland and still holds the best bowling figures of the competition, 5/20. His bowling average of 4.50 is also the best in the tournament.

Head Coach Daren Sammy said Shepherd he is ready.

“He practised well yesterday,” Sammy said on Sunday. “Bowled quite well, you know, hit the ball very, very cleanly. The good thing for us is that everybody is available for selection. Going into the Super Eight, that’s what you want. So I’m glad to know and happy to know that all my soldiers are ready to go out to war.”

West Indies pacer Romario Shepherd bowls during the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup group stage match against Scotland at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, on February 7, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Sammy also addressed the tournament’s seeding structure, which has resulted in all first-round group winners coming together in Group 1.

“I guess if you take the logistics that come into it, trying to give the fans who probably travel an opportunity to plan ahead,” he said. “Ideally, I think the big thing for most people is they say, ‘Oh, West Indies came out of the group. Oh, Zimbabwe came out of the group. That means somebody they seeded there did not come out’. Zimbabwe did what they had to do.

“If we were not seeded or so, and I saw like this person is going to play there, that gives me motivation. And I’m pretty sure Zimbabwe, looking at that group there, gave them motivation and inspiration to come out and play the way they play.”

Zimbabwe will not be taken lightly. Sikandar Raza has the fourth-highest batting average in the tournament at 75, while Blessing Muzarabani’s nine wickets place him third overall. His bowling average of 7.89 ranks fifth, two spots behind teammate Richard Ngarava (5.67).

This match bowls off from Wankhede Stadium, with a pitch traditionally known to favour batters, in Mumbai, India at 8:30 am Jamaica time.

PERREIRA…we have a middle order that can give our bowling something to work withPhoto: Observer file

Rovman Powell of West Indies bats during the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup group stage match against England at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, India, on February 11, 2026.Photo: AFP