India’s T20I captain Shreyas Iyer has made some interesting comparisons between the current Indian squad and the team that created history by winning the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. Ahead of the five-match T20I series against the West Indies, Iyer revealed the players he believes could replicate some of the iconic performances from India’s memorable campaign in South Africa. His selections include Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel, among others.

Meanwhile, India fans travelling for the opening match have been facing difficulties due to waterlogging in Lucknow. Shreyas Iyer has backed Tilak Varma as the current Indian batter most capable of producing a match-winning performance similar to Gautam Gambhir’s effort in the 2007 T20 World Cup final. Gambhir played a crucial knock in the final against Pakistan, scoring 75 runs as India posted 157/5. India eventually defended the total by five runs to lift the inaugural T20 World Cup trophy.

Tilak has already developed a reputation for performing under pressure. The left-hander recently smashed an unbeaten 51 off just 22 balls in the 2026 Asian Games final against Pakistan, helping India secure a 19-run victory and win the gold medal in Japan.

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He also played a significant role in India’s victory over Pakistan in the 2025 Asia Cup final, scoring an unbeaten 69 during a tense chase. Those performances make Tilak a logical choice for Iyer’s Gambhir comparison. For Yuvraj Singh’s unforgettable six-sixes performance, Shreyas Iyer selected Shivam Dube.

Yuvraj created T20 World Cup history in 2007 when he smashed England pacer Stuart Broad for six sixes in a single over. He also reached his half-century in only 12 balls, producing one of the most iconic moments in T20 cricket. Dube possesses similar power-hitting ability, particularly against spin during the middle overs. The tall left-handed all-rounder has already struck 71 sixes in 79 T20I appearances.

For India’s famous bowl-out victory against Pakistan in the 2007 T20 World Cup group stage, Shreyas Iyer selected Jasprit Bumrah, Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Yash Thakur and himself. The original match ended in a tie before India won the bowl-out 3-0, creating another memorable chapter in the rivalry.

Iyer also chose Bumrah for the final over of the 2007 World Cup final, a role famously handled by Joginder Sharma. Joginder kept his composure with Pakistan needing 13 runs from the final over as India secured a five-run victory.

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Finally, Shreyas Iyer picked Axar Patel to replicate Irfan Pathan’s match-winning bowling performance. Pathan finished with impressive figures of 3/16 in four overs and played a key role in India’s successful defence. The first T20I between India and West Indies is scheduled for October 6 in Kanpur.