Afghanistan vs West Indies Prediction, 1st T20I – Who will win today’s match between AFG vs WI?

Published - 19 Jan 2026, 00:18 IST | Updated - 19 Jan 2026, 00:37 IST

The first T20I of the upcoming three-match series between Afghanistan (AFG) and West Indies (WI) will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Monday, January 19. The last time the two sides played a T20I against each other was at the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Star spin bowler Rashid Khan has returned from the SA20 to lead the Afghan side. They will be entering the series keen on refining their performances as a collective ahead of the T20 World Cup, to be held across India and Sri Lanka. The duo of Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad will be some of the players to watch out for.

The West Indies, on the other hand, last played a T20I in November 2025, which came against New Zealand. Brandon King will lead the team in the absence of regular white-ball skipper Shai Hope. Amongst other developments when it comes to the Windies squad, Shamar Joseph and Evin Lewis will be returning after recovering from their respective injuries.

Teams batting second have had a slightly better record in T20s played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The pitch is expected to slow a tad bit during the match. Batting might get slightly tougher with the ball roughening up and stopping while coming onto the bat when the spinners come up to bowl in the middle phase. The average first innings score in the 121 T20s played here is 140.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan (c), Mohammad Ishaq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad

Evin Lewis, Johnson Charles (wk), Brandon King (c), Shimron Hetmyer, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales, Khary Pierre

Wicketkeeper and opening batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz has had a rather mixed few weeks while playing in the ILT20 and the Bangladesh Premier League. Although he has not fired more often than not, the top-order batter possesses the skill set to explode onto the opposition when set. If he fires, it will be a big boost for the Afghans in the series opener.

Mystery spinner Rashid Khan was not been at his wicket-taking best in the ILT20 (four wickets in five matches) and the SA20 (six wickets in seven innings). However, the seasoned leg-spinning pro can still be expected to be one of the bowlers to watch out for on a pitch like that of the surface in Dubai.