Cricket West Indies have their eyes set on the World Cup. Yet, as ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is a few weeks away, the team needs to do their best to prepare for the upcoming tournament. Their opponent during the pre tournament period is going to be Afghanistan, and the 16 man squad was already announced. We’re talking about a three match T20 International series that will serve as a prelude for the upcoming World Cup. The contest is scheduled for January 19-22 with the venue being Dubai Cricket International Stadium in the United Arab Emirates.
The World Cup will start on February 6th, and the duel vs. Afghanistan is the final test for the West Indies cricket team World Cup squad. The duel will not only serve to gel the teammates before the important tournament but also to help the player adjust to similar playing conditions. Also, the final selection for the WC has not yet been made and this is an opportunity for some players to either gain or to lose their spot for the tournament which is being co hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
New Leaders on The Horizon
For the duel with Afghanistan, the West Indies will have a new captain appointed. The man in question is Brandon King. He received the honour due to the absence of some of the team’s biggest names. Players who are missing due to their SA20 tournament obligations are Shai Hope who is the current captain of the West Indies T20 team, but also some of their best players such as Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase, and Akeal Hosein.
Brandon King is a logical choice to lead the team vs. Afghanistan, as he has excelled in a captain’s role in some previous duels, but also is a natural leader and well respected by his peers on the WI team. Back in 2024 it was him who led the team as captain when they faced South Africa. The West Indies team is both in transition, but also in their preparation stages for the World Cup, so appointing someone familiar with the role as the captain is a good and wise choice.
Who’s In & Who’s Missing
As we said, this match between Afghanistan and West Indies will serve as a general rehearsal in the dawn of the 2026 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. We’ve mentioned the players who are missing, but some familiar names will be back with the team for both this duel and probably for the WC. Their attack will be better, at least on paper, compared to some past squads with the likes of Shamar Joseph and Evin Lewis both back on the roster. These players have been injured not so long ago but have now been cleared to play after completing protocols.
Another name that fans want to see back is the fast bowler Alzarri Joseph. He had a misfortune of getting injured late in 2025, but after a swift recovery and rest given by the team’s medical staff, he is slowly and safely getting back to action. At the moment he is close to being in full shape, but the CWI medical staff will reassess him a few more times as the World Cup is nearing to ensure that he only plays if he’s at or at least close to 100%.
CWI could be stronger with the presence of Quentin Sampson on the team, despite the fact that he just received his first ever call up. Sampson has been excellent during the 2025 Caribbean Premier League season where he received the reward for the Breakout Player. He is a direct replacement for Rovman Powell, who is receiving rest vs. Afghanistan together with Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd. CWI team has a workload management for their top players, and those who are missing their warm up game might be in the squad for the world cup when February Word Cup is on schedule.
Head Coach makes The Final Cut
Cricket West Indies head coach Daren Sammy is the one in charge of selecting the final roster for the World Cup. The duel against Afghanistan serves to make some things regarding the final roster crystal clear. Sammy made it clear that he will use the three game series to prepare his players for what lies ahead but also to make a full assessment of the weapons he has at disposal. He will pay extra attention to the players who are first time with the squad and to those who are getting back from injuries.
Another massive goal Daren Sammy has is to get his players adjusted to play in the sub continental weather conditions and they will have that against Afghanistan in Dubai. It is all about the team getting their conditioning right and to pair it with confidence that is gained only though competitive matches. It is easy to be relaxed and to get your eyes on the T20 World Cup, but the duel against Afghanistan is equally important reiterates Sammy. When it’s all said and done at the end of January, Sammy wants to have a team of players who are in top condition willing to fight for the anthem and the flag. Only those who are deemed worthy will make it to the final selection. Considering just how big the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is, we’re sure that all players are more than willing to give their 100%.
There’s still more than enough time for the WCI players to gain and to lose their spots on the World Cup squad. After they wrap up their duel vs. Afghanistan, the team will have another test match against South Africa scheduled for the period between 27-31 January. The players who travel to Dubai are the following: Brandon King (Captain), Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Amir Jangoo, Shamar Joseph, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Khary Pierre, Johnson Charles, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Ramon Simmonds, Shamar Springer, Quentin Sampson, Jayden Seales, and Shimron Hetmyer.
As far as the match dates go, the first T201 vs. Afghanistan is on January 19th, the second one is on January 21st, and the third one on January 22nd.
Who Are The Early Favorites to Win?
With the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup almost upon us it is the right moment to talk about the teams who could be able to win it. The hosts are India and Sri Lanka, adding additional value to the tournament being played in a land where this sport is the most popular one. As you could have guessed, the leading favorites to win it all is India.
India
India is always a favourite to go far at this kind of tournament. First of all they have the biggest talent pool to pick their players from. Also, they’re hosting the tourney this time around adding additional elements working in their favour. This is why we’re having them as undisputed favorites to keep the trophy at bay. You can already tell that having stands filled with predominantly home crowds will make it hard for the opponents to play their top game. Of course, there are downsides to India’s chances. First of all, this is the first tournament in decades that will not feature either Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma.
While their absence will be felt, it is not like India doesn’t have good replacements. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill are joining the team after impressive seasons in the IPL. They will lead this team, and together with the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Rinku Singh and Hardik Pandya they have a squad of all stars. Add the likes of Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravi Bishnoi, and Axar Patel to the mix, and you get an idea why India is a heavy favorite to win the 2026 ICC Men’s World Cup.
Of course, these lads will play under the immense pressure of expectation of the entire nation who wants to see the World Cup trophy won on the home soil. With their odds set at 2.35 we can see India overcoming all opponents put in front of them in the upcoming tournament, and a fine bet for all those who want to wager on cricket during the upcoming tournament.
Australia
The Baggy Greens know their way around the major tournaments. This is a team with a lot of pedigree, and despite them not being too fond of playing in the sub continental climate, they will find a way to adapt as they always had. If you want to wager on Australia, their odds are set at 5.00 and at those odds you could make a push on the Aussies. After all, this Australia team is one that knows how to win the big matches. We’re sure all fans of the sport remember their games at the ODI World Cup win in India in 2023.
Travis Head will be the main name on the lips of Australian fans. His ability to destroy the opponents tactics early in the matches remains unparalleled in the sports, and we’re sure he will be attacking every piece of the pitch when he’s on. With Adam Zampa also being at the top of his game as far as middle overs and leg spinners of the white ball go, Australia deservedly has big aspirations for what’s to come in February in India.
England
The place where the sport originated, England, would like nothing more than to take this trophy home. Whether that is going to happen remains to be seen, but England will be one of the best teams to watch for neutral fans. They are always looking to win games by scoring more than their opponents in volume. This is often an easy task thanks to Jos Buttler, Phil Slat, and Will Jacks. It is a joy to watch all of their batters taking turns. Power hitting and batters depth is where the secret of England’s success potentially lies.
What works against the Three Lions is their poor performances tied to the climate that awaits them in February in India. It is hard to win matches with their hard hitting style when the weather works against them. When the score is settled we’re sure that Adil Rashid is going to be one of the best players in the tournament. If just the rest of the squad manages to overcome their allergies tied to playing spin, this could be a tournament of joy for England. Their odds are set at 5.50, so even the bookies are seeing them as a team that could cause havoc if only the bat works well when the game is on the line.
With less than a full month to go till the 2026 ICC Men’s World Cup the early favorites are safely shaping up. With India, Australia, and England leading the race the rest of the teams are left behind, but are not without a chance. The team closest to them is South Africa. They have the world’s best player of spin in Heinrich Klaasen but are also well known as a team that fails when things reach the top level. The bookies are still not willing to underestimate them, and with SA odds set at 6.50, The Proteas could be described as the dark horse for this tournament. After all they are known as nearly men for a reason.
As far as the rest of the teams competing go, none are given too big of a chance to make an upset in India and Sri Lanka. Pakistan has their odds set at 17.00, same as New Zealand, while West Indies have theirs set at 21.00. Any of these teams would cause an upset by going all the way, and to be honest we just don’t see it happening. Yet, upsets and unexpected results are what makes this sport so interesting. All real fans of cricket are waiting for February to turn their full attention to the World Cup. The best part about it, is that once it is over, the IPL season will be almost upon us and the spring of cricket is what we live for.
