T20 World Cup 2024: West Indies avoid early struggles to record hard-fought win over PNG

West Indies kicked off their ICC T20 World Cup 2024 marketing campaign with a hard-fought five-wicket win over Papua New Guinea in Guayana on Sunday, June 2. The event co-hosts struggled towards low-ranked PNG whereas chasing a 136-run goal however walked away with two huge factors. 

After thrashing Australia of their final warm-up sport, the Caribbean facet raised followers’ expectations however weren’t in a position to show an analogous intent towards PNG. Bowlers impressed with Andre Russell and Alzarri Joseph took two wickets every to limit PNG to a 137/5 complete.

Sese Babu top-scored with 50 runs off 43 runs to turn into the one second PNG participant to record a fifty in T20 World Cup historical past. West Indies batters additionally struggled for fast runs and misplaced the primary three wickets with simply 63 runs on the scoreboard within the first 10 overs.

But Roston Chase’s unbeaten 42 off 27 powered the Caribbean facet to a hard-fought win with simply six balls remaining. Skipper Assad Vala took two wickets for 28 whereas Alei Nao bagged one for 9 in his early two-over spell.

Earlier within the sport, Romario Shepherd gave West Indies a superb begin with the massive wicket of Tony Ura within the second over. Spinners Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie each began and bowled spectacular spells with a wicket every. 

Sese Bau and the wicketkeeper batter Kiplin Doriga added essential 44 runs for the fifth wicket to put PNG on a monitor for a combating complete however West Indies made a superb late comeback. 

The hosts misplaced opener Johnson Charles within the second over and that helped PNG construct an early strain. In-form Nicholas Pooran notably performed 16 dots balls as he scored 27 runs off 27 balls to give PNG an opportunity to steadiness the sport.

But spin all-rounder Roston Chase and Russell added unbeaten 40 runs for the sixth wicket with the previous top-scoring with 42 runs off 27 balls to lead West Indies to the triumph. Chase additionally bagged the Player of the Match award for his sensible knock.

Match Scorecard

Papua New Guinea Playing XI: Tony Ura, Assad Vala (c), Sese Bau, Lega Siaka, Hiri Hiri, Charles Amini, Kiplin Doriga (wk), Alei Nao, Chad Soper, Kabua Morea, John Kariko.

West Indies Playing XI: Johnson Charles, Brandon King, Roston Chase, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Rovman Powell (c), Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie.