India Masters vs West Indies Masters Live Score, IML 2025: Sachin, Lara look to turn back clock in epic battle

India Masters vs West Indies Masters Live Score, IML 2025: Follow the latest updates

This closing bit of the tournament will be opened by a match between two of the more evenly-matched and powerful teams in the tournament, as India Masters play their final group stage match against the West Indies Masters, both teams near the top of the league table. India maintain their position at the top of the table with a healthy net run-rate, but West Indies could match them on wins if they come out as victors today — and could pip them to that top spot down the line. Plenty to still battle it out over in this tournament.

These two teams are captained by some of the best players in the history of the sport, as Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara reunite for what promises to be another memorable contest between the two stylish batters. However, both their teams enter on the back of chastening losses, with India getting hammered by Australia Masters and the Windies falling short of chasing down a manageable Sri Lankan total.

With Australia Masters looking in ominous batting form, hitting 260+ in two matches in a row (and 215+ in all their matches) thanks to an on-fire Shane Watson with three centuries so far, both these teams will want some daylight between themselves and the Aussies heading into the semifinals. There should be no qualification qualms for these teams, with the top four largely set at this stage, and that freedom might present both squads an opportunity to showcase their talents.

The West Indians have plenty of firepower and T20 pedigree, not least starting at the top with Dwayne Smith and Chris Gayle opening the batting. Can you ask for a more fearsome opening partnership to set the tone, especially against a bowling lineup that conceded 269 in their previous match? Add to that star names in the middle order like Lendl Simmons and Lara himself, although both Lara and Gayle have missed a couple of games, as well as a very capable bowling lineup that has been forged in T20 cricket internationally and in franchise competitions across the world.

On the Indian front, the chastening 95-run loss to Australia will see questions asked, but there will still be confidence that this is a team that can get it done. A little more reliability will be demanded from a bowling attack that was torn apart by Watson and Ben Dunk, but India did rest the likes of Ambati Rayudu, Yuvraj Singh, and Dhawal Kulkarni: at full strength, there isn’t a team that India Masters couldn’t beat, and with Sachin Tendulkar gradually playing himself into form with an excellent 64 in the previous match, he will be the one to keep an eye on, as he always is.