🏏ICC T20I WC 2024: Match 18: WI vs Uganda @ Providence @6:00 AM IST🏏

🏏ICC T20I WC 2024: Match 18: WI vs Uganda at Providence on 9/06/24 at 6:00 AM IST🏏

The Rovman Powell-led side won their opening game of the tournament against Papua New Guinea at the same venue. Bowling first, West Indies restricted Assad Vala-led side to 136/8, all thanks to exceptional bowling from Andre Russell and Alzarri Joseph who shared four wickets amongst them. In reply, Roston Chase played a match-winning innings of 42* to help his side register a five-wicket victory.

On the other hand for Uganda, the forthcoming game will be playing their third match of the event. Notably, Brian Masaba and Co. suffered a huge 125-run defeat against Afghanistan in their opening fixture. But the side came back strong in their second game against Papua New Guinea and registered a narrow three-wicket victory while chasing a mere 77.

Providence Stadium, Guyana Pitch Report

The pitch conditions at the Providence Stadium are expected to be challenging for the batters. The surface is expected to be slow and offers inconsistent pace, making it a two-paced wicket. Additionally, the new ball will likely swing, providing the bowlers an advantage. The team that wins the toss will look to bowl first at this wicket.

WI vs UGA Head-to-Head Record

Tomorrow's fixture will be the first face-off between these two teams. They have never faced each other in T20Is before.

WI vs UGA Probable Playing XIs

West Indies:

Johnson Charles, Brandon King, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Roston Chase, Rovman Powell (capt), Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie

Uganda:

Simon Ssesazi, Roger Mukasa, Robinson Obuya, Dinesh Nakrani, Riazat Ali Shah, Alpesh Ramjani, Kenneth Waiswa, Brian Masaba (c), Juma Miyagi, Cosmas Kyewuta, Frank Nsubuga

WI vs UGA Probable Best Players of the Match

Probable Best Batter of the Match:

Roston Chase could be the best batter in the upcoming game against Uganda. The all-rounder looked in solid touch in their opening fixture against Papua New Guinea, scoring an unbeaten 42 runs to take his team across the line. The 32-year-old has featured in 14 T20Is and has scored 252 runs at a strike rate of 129.23. His performance will be crucial in the upcoming match against an inexperienced Uganda side.

Probable Best Bowler of the Match:

Cosmas Kyewuta could be the best bowler in the upcoming fixture against West Indies. The 22-year-old pacer has picked those crucial wickets for his side in every game of this tournament so far. With four wickets in two games, Kyewuta is the highest wicket-taker for Uganda in the marquee event. His spells will be crucial against a star-studded batting line-up of West Indies.

Disclaimer: The prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.

Today's Match Prediction: WI to win the match

Scenario 1

West Indies win the toss and opt to bowl first.

Power Play Score: 30-40

First Innings Score: 135-145

WI win the match

Scenario 2

Uganda win the toss and opt to bowl first.

Power Play score: 40-50

First Innings Score: 145-155

WI win the match

Disclaimer: The prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.

Big picture: Uganda's players take on their heroes

It's strange and beautiful that Uganda's third T20I against a Full-Member nation - they first beat Zimbabwe in Africa Qualifiers to reach the T20 World Cup and then lost to Afghanistan on their World Cup debut - is against West Indies. Irrespective of the result, Saturday will be celebrated and cherished not just in the Ugandan dressing room in Providence but also back home. Some Ugandan players' role models are West Indians. In batter Simon Ssesazi's words, some of them "only support West Indies in any format of the game" and it's a "blessing" to play against them. There is so much love and admiration for the co-hosts of this World Cup - Frank Nsubuga, 43, had named his son Pollard after a certain West Indian legend.

West Indies are coming into this game on the back of five successive wins and will be keen to extend that streak. Though they were given a scare by Papua New Guinea (PNG) in their opening match, West Indies eventually got home thanks to Roston Chase's cameo in the chase.

As for Uganda, they are history-makers. They are fighters. Back home, they don't even have a floodlit facility for practice and so they are not used to playing under lights. Treading in this uncharted territory in their first World Cup appearance, where all of their four Group C matches are played under lights, they suffered a heavy defeat to Afghanistan in their opener. However, Uganda were quick to adjust to the conditions as they overcame PNG in a low-scoring thriller in their next game to secure their first victory in the World Cup.

For them, facing co-hosts West Indies will be a much stiffer challenge. If Uganda have played a total of 93 T20Is so far, Nicholas Pooran alone has featured in 89 T20Is. The biggest concern for Uganda going into Saturday's game will be their batting after they had been bowled out for 58 against Afghanistan and lost seven wickets in a chase of 78 against PNG. Can they challenge the power-packed West Indies at the Providence?

Thanks for the tag Soni.

In the spotlight - Roston Chase and Riazat Ali Shah

Andre Russell isn't the only West Indian allrounder Uganda should be wary of. Roston Chase 2.0, has been in exceptional form since being recalled to the T20I side this year. In 2024, he has bowled full quota of four overs in three of the four T20Is, picking up four wickets and conceding less than six runs an over. With the bat, he has scored 37, 32*, 67*, 42* - at a strike rate of 154.78.

Riazat Ali Shah, one of Uganda's most promising talents, made a cautious 33 off 56 to steer a tricky chase after an early collapse against PNG. He has a strike rate of 122.7 in 59 T20Is and will look to find a higher tempo against West Indies.

Stats that matter: Pooran hot on Gayle's heels

• Nicholas Pooran needs 25 runs to surpass Chris Gayle's tally of 1899 and become West Indies' highest run-getter in men's T20Is.
• Pooran and Russell have hit 786 sixes between them in T20s since 2019.
• Uganda's Alpesh Ramjani has 13 wickets in in six T20Is this year at an economy rate of 4.3.

Quotes

"My game was always one [where] I could always rotate the strike and turn over the strike in the middle overs. But my game has evolved where I have learned and I've been practising to finish the game in the back end in terms of the power-hitting and getting stronger and stuff. So, I think that's what really helped my game to evolve. So that's made me a better player, yes."

Roston Chase on how he has levelled up

"Getting our first win against PNG is a dream come true. We never thought we'd win any game and everyone was like, 'I think they're just going to play and just come back and sit'. But putting in that good effort against PNG on the big stage, it has been mind-blowing. Kampala is just booming since the day we won, everyone is just calling us legends. I don't know if we're legends but yeah, it's exciting."

Simon Ssesazi on the impact his team has created back home