India and West Indies are set to begin their five-match T20I series on October 6 in Lucknow, with Shreyas Iyer leading the Indian side and Shai Hope captaining the visitors. The series follows India’s 2-1 victory in the ODI leg and presents a fresh challenge for both teams in the shortest format.

Ahead of the series opener, West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein admitted that India’s quality makes them a difficult opponent but insisted that the visitors are not intimidated. Hosein believes West Indies must match India’s intensity and execute their plans effectively if they are to challenge the hosts.

“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,” Akeal Hosein said during the pre-match press conference.

ALSO READ: Stuart Broad and Jos Buttler Pick Top 10 Test Batters Of The 21st Century

West Indies will also be looking to end an unwanted record in India. They have never won a bilateral T20I series on Indian soil, having lost all four previous series played there. India defeated West Indies 3-0 in both 2018 and 2022, highlighting the challenge facing the visitors this time around.

Hosein stressed that preparation alone will not be enough and that execution could ultimately decide the series. Rather than worrying about factors outside their control, the West Indies camp intends to focus on getting its own plans right. “Both teams are looking forward to the challenge. It’s just about who plans it best and who executes it best. We’re going to focus on the things that we can control,” the spinner explained.

India’s explosive batting in the powerplay is likely to be one of the biggest challenges for West Indies. Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan provide India with several aggressive options at the top of the order, giving the hosts the ability to put opposition bowlers under pressure from the opening over.

For Hosein, bowling during the powerplay is particularly demanding for spinners. The fielding restrictions leave limited protection, while high-quality batters can punish even minor mistakes on good batting surfaces.

ALSO READ: Ravi Shastri Opens Up On 2016 India Coach Snub: “There Was Some Motive”

“I mean you are not scared to bowl in the new world, in fact you relished that challenge. We know India’s T20 top players are top 3, how devastating it looks,” Akeal Hosein said. He acknowledged that the challenge becomes even greater when facing batters who score at high strike rates. “I think bowling in the power play in general is pretty scary especially