Afghanistan vs West Indies Live Score: Thrilling T20 Showdown, Highlights & Result Updates

The Dubai International Cricket Stadium braces for a prime-time showdown today as Afghanistan lock horns with the West Indies in the first T20I of a three-match series, starting 2:30 p.m. GST (6:30 a.m. UTC) in the UAE’s winter sunshine. The tour agenda is rapid-fire: • 1st T20I – 19 January, Dubai • 2nd T20I – 21 January, Dubai • 3rd T20I – 22 January, Dubai Afghanistan storyline • Captain Rashid Khan is set for his 100th T20 international, a landmark the leg-spin talisman reaches barely four months before the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. • Pacer Naveen-ul-Haq misses the series and the World Cup after shoulder surgery, forcing the hosts to test fresh death-bowling options. • Big-hitting openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran headline a batting order targeting 180-plus on Dubai’s even strip. West Indies storyline • Selectors recall express quick Shamar Joseph and power-packed left-hander Evin Lewis; uncapped batter-keeper Quentin Sampson earns a debut tour as the Caribbean side auditions final World Cup spots. • Skipper Rovman Powell leads a batting line-up built on six-hitting depth: Nicholas Pooran, Brandon King and Sherfane Rutherford form the middle-order engine. Key contest zones 1. Rashid Khan vs Nicholas Pooran – leg-spin wizardry against left-hand firepower. 2. Fazalhaq Farooqi’s new-ball swing vs Evin Lewis’ powerplay aggression. 3. Shamar Joseph at 150 kph vs Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s fearless lofts down the ground. Pitch & conditions Dubai’s drop-in surface has produced an average first-innings score of 171 across the last 10 T20Is; dew after sunset often aids chasing teams. Expect a clear evening with temperatures around 21 °C. How to watch India: FanCode app & website (subscription). Caribbean: SportsMax TV, Flow Sports streaming. Afghanistan & MENA: Ariana Television Network, Etisalat CricLife. Worldwide digital: ICC.tv in select regions. SEO focus keywords: AFG vs WI live score, Afghanistan vs West Indies 1st T20I 2026, AFG vs WI streaming, Rashid Khan 100th T20I, Shamar Joseph comeback, Dubai cricket today.