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Afghanistan vs West Indies 1st T20I Predictions - Ibrahim Zadran to crack the West Indies attack

Simon Lewis

Editor

Last updated: 18 Jan 2026

Simon Lewis 18 Jan 2026

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Ibrahim Zadran has scored 95, 52, 57* & 60 runs in his last four whiteball innings.
Brandon King has scored 1704 runs in T20Is at a strike-rate of 133.64.
Can Afghanistan make it three T20I wins from four against the West Indies?

Expired

Ibrahim Zadran cuts against Pakistan (Getty Images).

Afghanistan vs West Indies Predictions

Afghanistan are at full strength for the opening game of their three-match T20I series against the West Indies. The visitors lost their last three T20Is in a row in their series defeat against New Zealand.

Afghanistan vs West Indies Predictions
Head-to-Head
Afghanistan Form
West Indies Form
Afghanistan vs West Indies Team News

Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran scored 60 off 49 balls against Zimbabwe.
Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit five sixes in his 48-ball 92 against Zimbabwe.
West Indies’ Brandon King has scored 79, 33, 22, 63 & 67 in his last 5 innings.
West Indies’ Amir Jangoo has scored 34, 72* & 20 in his last 4 innings.

Head-to-Head

Afghanistan have won two and lost three of their last five T20Is against the West Indies.

Afghanistan Form

Afghanistan completed four wins on the bounce when they beat Qatar by 25 runs in a one-off T20I meeting.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran have formed a strong opening partnership. While there is a lot of talent in the Afghanistan top-order, the form of this opening pair remains key to their success.

Azmatullah Omarzai is in good form with bat and ball, scoring 50*, 44 and 33 in his last five innings and returning figures of 2/27 and 3/40. Rashid Khan has joined the national side after leaving the SA20 early. He only picked up six wickets in his seven appearances in the SA20 but kept a tidy line to go for just 7.92 runs per over.

West Indies Form

After beating New Zealand in the 1st T20I of their five-match series, the West Indies lost the next three matches on the bounce, with a fourth match rained-out

The West Indies have been massively weakened by the absence of key players who are either being rested or are playing in the SA20. Brandon King and Amir Jangoo are the in-form batters in the West Indies squad, although neither has been particularly prolific. Alick Athanaze has also been short on runs, contributing just 29, 23 and 45 in his last six innings.

Jayden Seales has taken 3/32, 3/41, 1/51 and 2/35 in his last six whiteball matches. Ramon Simmonds, the 24-year-old left-arm paceman has played just two T20Is, although he has taken 2/42, 1/35 and 4/15 in his last four matches.

Afghanistan vs West Indies Team News

Brandon King skippers the 16-man squad which has been boosted by the return of Shamar Joseph and Evin Lewis from injury. Shai Hope, Roston Chase, Akeal Hosein and Sherfane Rutherford are playing in the SA20 and haven’t travelled with the squad, which is a major boost for Afghanistan, while Jason Holder, Rovman Powell and Romario Shepherd are being rested ahead of the T20 World Cup. Quentin Sampson has benefitted from all the absentees by earning his first call-up to the West Indies squad.

“The opportunity to play competitive matches in subcontinental conditions is ideal, as it assists with our preparations and confidence-building ahead of what will be a competitive T20 World Cup. It also presents a valuable platform to assess players who would’ve missed significant time towards the end of 2025, as well as those stepping into important roles for this series, prior to the selection of the final squad for the international tournament,” said West Indies’ head coach Daren Sammy.

Afghanistan squad: Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Ishaq (w), Gulbadin Naib, Shahidullah Kamal, Rashid Khan (c), Naveen-ul-Haq, Azmatullah Omarzai, Ibrahim Zadran, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Darwish Rasooli, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (w), Sediqullah Atal, Noor Ahmad, Abdullah Ahmadzai.

West Indies squad: Brandon King (c), Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Johnson Charles, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Shimron Hetmyer, Amir Jangoo, Shamar Joseph, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Khary Pierre, Quentin Sampson, Jayden Seales, Ramon Simmonds, Shamar Springer.

Verdict

Afghanistan v West Indies

I am backing Afghanistan to win. I am also backing Ibrahim Zadran to top score for Afghanistan. Brandon King is a good bet to top score for the West Indies.

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Simon is a talented sports writer in South Africa with a strong focus on cricket having played first-team level for UCT, including playing at two Universities Weeks.

From a young age Simon was an avid reader of cricket magazines and books, and went on to be Editor of The Googly, CricketScene SA and SA Cricket, in addition to being a Features Writer on SA Sports Illustrated.

He has interviewed most of South Africa's premier cricketers and was the first writer to interview a teenaged Jacques Kallis.

Simon has also written about English and local football, rugby and cricket, in addition to major international tennis and golf stars and competitions.

You can follow more from Simon at Muckrack, X and LinkedIn.