In India, if a cricket match is not playing in the household on at least one screen, then something feels amiss. There is something comfortingly familiar and pride-inducing about watching India play cricket with panache today. Though sometimes it can also lead to dramatic gasps of disbelief and head shaking when the lead performers are not in the zone. But the entire process begins rather innocently. The television is turned on, and the clock is checked when suddenly the Indian cricket team is spotted playing an important match. An hour later, the table is full of snacks and half-finished tea cups as a mini cricket crowd roars and cheers in unison from your living room sofa. Half the household is already discussing field placements as if they have been personally consulted by the Captain of this ship, Shreyas Iyer.
And that is not a one-off household. Nearly every household showcases this excitement and adoration for any cricket match of India. And this time that particular intensity has been on full display during India’s recent ODI contest with the West Indies. India won the first two matches comfortably, including a spectacular Guwahati chase in which Shubman Gill’s unbeaten 223 helped India overhaul their opponent’s formidable 405. West Indies answered in the final ODI, with Shai Hope’s unbeaten 162 steering them to a five-wicket win while chasing 352. As a result, the ODI series finished 2-1, in India’s favour. Now, the teams have moved into a five-match T20I series that starts in Lucknow from 7 pm IST, October 6, 2026 onwards.
But really, what can fuel that match-time passion and those united groans at wickets or opposition boundaries without having something good to munch on? Cricket has always had an appetite for pomp and ceremony, and a proper match calls for food that can survive several overs on the coffee table. The dishes or appetisers should be substantial enough to keep hunger away, easy enough to eat between powerful deliveries, yet delicious enough to deserve another helping or two. Here are a few such worthy players worth putting into the culinary game of scoring taste bud boundaries.
6 Delicious And India Vs West Indies Match-inspired Hearty Munchies
Tandoori Chicken Bites
Chicken tandoori is ideal for cricket viewing, especially when made in pocket-sized forms. It is smoky, moderately spicy, juicy, and substantial, with no thick, battered coating. But unlike its OG messy and glorious format, this appetiser is ideal for nibbling on during matches without having to sit down with a plate and spoon. Ideal for cosy match gatherings or compact living rooms without space for a table.
Image credit: Pexels
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 500g boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 100g thick yoghurt
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp gram flour
Method
Mix all the ingredients, excluding the chicken, into a thick marinade. Now coat your chicken pieces and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. After that, thread them onto skewers and cook at 220°C for 18 to 22 minutes, turning once or twice, until properly cooked through and lightly charred. Finish with lemon juice and serve with mint chutney.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings
For a West Indies-themed snack to compete with other desi appetisers, jerk chicken is an obvious contender. Jamaican jerk cooking has always been associated with a fragrant combination of allspice, thyme, scallion, onion, garlic, and Scotch bonnet chilli, giving chicken a smoky, aromatic heat that tastes amazing with cold drinks and fizzy cocktails for a tense final few overs.
Image credit: Pexels
Ingredients (Serves 4 to 6)
- 750g chicken wings
- 1 tbsp allspice powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 spring onions, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 Scotch bonnet or red chilli, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp oil
- ½ tsp salt
Method
Blend or finely chop all the marinade ingredients together and then generously coat the chicken wings. Refrigerate the marinated chicken for 2 to 4 hours. Now bake them at 220°C for 30 to 35 minutes, turning them halfway, until browned and properly cooked through. For some extra char, you can grill for 2 to 3 minutes at the end.
Bajan-Style Fish Cakes
Barbados can bring an excellent cricket-snacking tradition to your table in the form of fish cakes. Traditionally made with salted cod, flour, onion, pepper, and herbs, these fish cakes are eaten as everyday snacks and are also commonly served in a salt bread roll.
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
Ingredients (Serves 2 to 4)
- 250g boneless salted cod
- 100g plain flour
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- 1 green chilli, chopped
- 2 tbsp parsley
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 60ml water
- Black pepper, according to taste
- Oil for frying
Method
Soak your cod in water, changing the water multiple times, then boil for 10 minutes and flake up your fish. Mix it with your remaining ingredients to form a thick batter. Now drop tablespoonfuls into medium-hot oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden with a slightly crisp exterior. Serve with lime and a sharp chilli sauce.
Masala Paneer Sliders
A slider gives your match snacking table the satisfaction of a sandwich without committing anyone to a full-sized meal with only one preparation. These handy sliders use paneer tikka flavours, but tuck their zesty filling into soft, small buns with lots of crunchy onions and chutney for a memorable bite that appeals to all ages.
Image credit: Pexels
Ingredients (Yields 6 sliders)
- 250g paneer, sliced
- 2 tbsp yoghurt
- 1 tsp tandoori masala
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp oil
- 6 small buns
- 3 tbsp mint chutney
- ½ red onion, sliced
- ½ cucumber, sliced
Method
Marinate your paneer pieces with yoghurt, spices, lemon juice, and oil for 20 minutes. Then pan-fry them for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until browned. Finally, slice in half and toast the buns (or fry them in butter, if you are feeling extra-indulgent), spread your chutney generously and load up with paneer, onion, and cucumber, before serving. Keep tissues handy.
Spiced Corn Ribs
Corn ribs have become a familiar contemporary appetiser because they are gloriously messy-looking, highly nostalgic in Indian street food concept, while remaining remarkably easy to portion at home. Give your corn cobs a nostalgic, Indian masala treatment with a modern twist, and they will become a wonderful vegetarian snack option for a lengthy and competitive match.
Image credit: Unsplash
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- 2 corn cobs
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp chaat masala
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- 3 tbsp grated Parmesan or cheddar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Salt
Method
Quarter each corn cob lengthwise with a sturdy knife. Now toss them with butter, chilli, cumin, and salt. Then air-fry or bake at 200°C for 15 to 18 minutes until curled, mellow, sweet yet nicely seasoned, and browned. Finish with chaat masala, cheese, and lemon.
Trinidad-Style Channa Doubles
Doubles are one of Trinidad and Tobago’s beloved street foods with distant echoes from their desi-Bihari origin in abroad plantations: fried bara flatbreads filled with curried channa are finished with chutneys and pepper sauce before serving. They are hardly dainty, but that is precisely their appeal for a serious match table that wants something hearty yet thematic. This version makes smaller, easier-to-handle portions for optimal match experience.
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
Ingredients (Yields 6 Doubles)
For the filling
- 400g cooked or boiled chickpeas, drained
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp curry powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 100ml water
- Salt
For serving
- 6 small puris or mini rotis
- 3 tbsp tamarind chutney
- 3 tbsp coriander chutney
- Sliced chilli
Method
Heat oil and cook your onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Then add curry powder, cumin and turmeric, followed by chickpeas and water. Now simmer the lot for 8 to 10 minutes, until thick and spoonable. Finally, place a small portion between two puris or rotis and garnish generously with both chutneys and chilli before serving.