Two-time champions West Indies have been put beneath excessive strain by a plucky Papua New Guinea unit earlier than scraping by with a five-wicket win of their 2024 T20 World Cup opener right here on Sunday. Left-hander Sese Bau (50 off 43) made a high quality half-century to take PNG to 136 for eight after the affiliate nation misplaced their first 4 wickets for 50 runs. An influence-packed West Indies ought to have chased down the below-par complete comfortably however PNG made them work arduous for the win regardless of their limitations.
PNG’s spinners as nicely medium pacers didn’t enable the hard-hitting West Indies batters to chop free on a gradual floor. The match co-hosts ultimately obtained house in 19 overs because of rearguard motion from Roston Chase (42 not out off 27 balls) and Andre Russell (15 off 9).
The West Indies’ innings was halted for 20 minutes as a result of rain however there was no lack of overs. The passing bathe arrived with the house crew at 8 for one within the second over and it could have been two down on the identical rating had right-arm pacer Alei Nao received a lbw assessment for the harmful Nicholas Pooran.
After trapping Johnson Charles off his very first ball, Nao obtained one other one to seam again in from wanting size to depart Pooran stranded however luck was on the latter’s facet. Nonetheless, his scratchy effort ended when he was caught within the deep off left-arm spinner John Kariko.
PNG skipper Assad Vala made it 63 for 3 inside 10 overs when he deceived opener Brandon King (34) in flight and had him caught at deep midwicket. Nerves elevated within the West Indies dressing room when it turned 97 for 5 in 16 overs earlier than Chase and Russell obtained maintain of the proceedings.
After PNG have been despatched in to bat, Bau made on the spot influence on the large stage along with his spirited effort.
PNG, taking part in their second T20 World Cup, have been reeling at 50 for 4 earlier than Bau shared a 44-run stand with Charles Amini (12) to save lots of them the blushes.
Anticipating the pitch to show, the West Indies picked three spinners and put the opposition in after profitable the toss.
The assistance for the spinners was seen as early as the primary over bowled by Akeal Hosein.
Nonetheless, it was pacer Romario Shepherd who picked the primary wicket by having Tony Ura caught behind within the second over of the sport. The ball seamed away, inducing a thick edge from the batter.
Hosein removed quantity three Lega Siaka with an arm ball earlier than Alzarri Joseph despatched again Vala (21 off 22 balls). Vala got here up with a few crisp hits within the cowl area earlier than being caught brilliantly by Roston Chase at backward level.
Vala’s six over additional cowl off spinner Chase within the earlier over was one of many highlights of PNG’s innings.
Bau then ensured that the odd boundary stored coming as PNG tried to consolidate their innings.
Bau, a leftie like Vala, smashed left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie for a six and couple of fours to provide the innings a lot wanted momentum.
After his departure, the affiliate nation did slightly nicely to get near the 140-run mark.
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