Co-hosts West Indies began their bid for a third Men’s T20 World Cup title with a nervy five-wicket victory over a spirited Papua New Guinea in Guyana.
West Indies, champions in Sri Lanka in 2012 and India in 2016, restricted Papua New Guinea to 136-8 in Providence but then slipped from 61-1 in the ninth over to 97-5 after 16 as the qualifiers threatened to pull off an upset.
However, Roston Chase (42no off 27 balls) and Andre Russell (15no off 9) shared an unbroken stand of 40 from 18 balls as the home side triumphed with an over to spare in the Group C fixture.
Rovman Powell’s West Indies followed fellow co-hosts USA in starting off their tournament with victory – USA defeating Canada by seven wickets in the tournament opener in Dallas thanks chiefly to Aaron Jones’ 94 not out from 40 balls, which featured 10 sixes.
West Indies have slumped in the previous two T20 World Cups, knocked out in the Super 12s in the United Arab Emirates in 2021 and failing to make it past the first round in Australia in 2022.
However, they are expected to impress this year after winning their last three bilateral T20I series under Powell’s captaincy, against South Africa, India and then England in December.
Chase stars in field and with the bat for West Indies
West Indies reduced Papua New Guinea to 7-2 in 2.1 overs with seamer Romario Shepherd and left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein accounting for Tony Ura (2) and Lega Siaka (1) respectively.
Sese Bau (50 off 43) top-scored for Papua New Guinea, striking six fours and a six as he registered the second half-century for his country in T20 World Cups, after skipper Assad Vala’s 56 against Oman during their tournament debut in the UAE three years ago.
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Alzarri Joseph was left frustrated after the ball struck the stumps without the bail moving in West Indies T20 World Cup clash against Papua New Guinea.
West Indies seamers Russell and Alzarri Joseph picked up two wickets apiece, with Joseph removing Vala (21) thanks to a superb diving catch from Chase at backward point.
Opener Johnson Charles was out for a golden duck in the chase and West Indies would have been 8-2 in the second over had PNG reviewed for Nicholas Pooran lbw on nought, moments before a 20-mnute rain delay.
Pooran (27) and Brandon King (34) put on 53 for West Indies’ second wicket and although Pooran’s exit triggered a wobble of 4-36, Chase’s boundary burst, including two fours and a six off Vala in the 18th over, prevented a shock result.
Chase said afterwards: “PNG are not an A-list team but they deserve to be here and we’re not underestimating anyone. We treated them like an India or Australia but we probably lacked a bit of intensity at the start.”
What’s next?
Papua New Guinea play Uganda in Guyana on Thursday (12.30am UK and Ireland), with West Indies up against Uganda at the same venue on Sunday June 9 (1.30am).
Monday’s matches at the T20 World Cup are Namibia vs Oman in Barbados (1.30am) followed by Sri Lanka vs South Africa in Nassau, New York (3.30pm).
Live ICC Men's T20 World Cup
Monday 3rd June 1:00am
Live ICC Men's T20 World Cup
Tuesday 4th June 3:00pm
England open up against Scotland in Barbados on Tuesday (3.30pm first ball) with Ireland playing India in New York on Wednesday (also 3.30pm).
Watch every match from the Men’s T20 World Cup live on Sky Sports between now and 29.
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