🏏ICC T20I Men's WC 2024: Match 2: WI vs PNG at Providence, Guyana🏏

🏏ICC T20I Men's WC 2024: Match 2: Group C: West Indies vs New Guinea at  Providence Stadium, Guyana on 02/06/2024 at 8pm IST🏏

[Tag and Logo credit to Wildestdreams]

Welcome to the second match of ICC T20I Men's World Cup

Power-packed West Indies look to get past PNG - and the weather - in style. PNG have a lot of experience in their ranks, but might find the in-form West Indians tough to conquer

The big hitters. The fast bowlers and the athletic fielders. The entertainers. The ultimate poster boys of T20 cricket - West Indies - may be two-time world champions, but if their global appeal among franchises and contribution in furthering the way the format is approached is any indicator, they should've been far more dominating at the world stage than they have been so far. In 2024, as the co-hosts, they have another shot at proving why despite their place in the global rankings, they carry the reputation that they do. 

First up against them are Papua New Guinea, easy challengers on paper. But given West Indies' reputation, a slip up wouldn't exactly be a surprise. PNG might be carrying an ageing squad, but experience of the big stage wouldn't be something they'd be concerned with. While PNG might be keen to impose their authority over the other Associate in the group - Uganda - they'd have nothing to lose as they attempt to put pressure on the three Full Members either. 

A slip up against PNG would prove extremely dangerous for West Indies' qualification chances to the next round. Most of their players are coming into the tournament at the back of a hectic IPL schedule. While that experience would hold them in good stead, they would quickly need to adapt to the slower playing conditions at home.

Redemption will be on West Indies' agenda as they kick off the Caribbean leg of T20 World Cup 2024 against Papua New Guinea in Providence. They lifted the trophy in 2012 and 2016, but West Indies have had a torrid time at the last two editions. In 2021, they only managed one win in five matches to make a Super 12s exit. In 2022, they failed to even make it to the Super 12s, losing to Ireland and Scotland in the opening round.

Now, in home territory, with a team in form, West Indies will hope to return to their glory days. PNG might not appear as threatening as some of the other teams, but West Indies will have to start strong, even think of giving their net run-rate an early boost.

They are coming into the World Cup on the back of a 3-0 sweep over South Africa at home - though both teams were without many of their World Cuppers. But West Indies also beat Australia in their only warm-up game where they smashed 257 in their 20 overs. That's good portents.

Andre Russell boasts of a strike rate of 207.89 in T20s this year. He played his part in Kolkata Knight Riders' IPL title win last week. Nicholas Pooran finished as Lucknow Super Giants' second-highest run-getter at the IPL. Rovman Powell and Shimron Hetmyer both struck at strike rates in excess of 150 for Rajasthan Royals. Against South Africa, Gudakesh Motie was the highest wicket-taker while Brandon King was the highest run-scorer.

PNG, in their second appearance at the World Cup and the first since 2021, will want to make an impression, and upset some calculations. And they have the experience for it - ten of their members played in the 2021 edition; only four of their players are below 25. PNG are a pace-dominated side with only Charles Amini as a frontline spinner. But it's the veteran batters that they will look to - Assad Vala, Tony Ura, Lega Siaka, Sese Bau are all capable of turning it on, and West Indies will be aware of that.

A host nation has never won the men's T20 World Cup, and West Indies will hope to buck the trend this time. Starting right away.

Pitch and conditions

The average first-innings score at Providence in T20 games since the start of 2022 is 168 with teams happier to bat second. In 24 T20 games here since 2022, captains have opted to field in 16 outings. But, it has not always translated into wins. Teams batting first have scored 11 wins out of 24 while 12 have been won by the teams batting second. One game was washed out. Spinners have been dominant here, going at an economy of 6.94 in those games. But all of that will become relevant if the weather holds up. There are chances of showers and even a thunderstorm early in the day.

What to expect: A slowish surface, the highest total posted at the venue in international cricket in the last 13 years has been 169 for 5. There is a possibility of passing showers and some cloud cover. But will mostly remain sunny. 

Head to head: The two teams have never played a T20I against each other. 

Team Watch

West Indies: Jason Holder, who was ruled out of the tournament due to an injury, has been replaced by Obed McCoy 

Tactics & Matchups: PNG hasn't faced a Full Member team in international cricket since January 2023. It will be a good opportunity for West Indies to let them face the pace heat from Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph early on.

In the spotlight - Nicholas Pooran and Charles Amini

Nicholas Pooran is coming into the tournament in fine six-hitting form. Since the start of 2023, no batter has hit more sixes in T20 cricket than Pooran's 154. He also has a strike rate of 167.45 in T20s this year. In the IPL, where the rest of his team's batters failed to get going, Pooran struck at 178.21 and then hit a 25-ball 75 with five fours and eight sixes against Australia two days back.

The one-man PNG spin department, Charles Amini, is also a handy batter, and his all-round abilities will hold the key to his team's fortunes. Amini has the third-most runs for the PNG in T20Is - 994 in 48 innings with a strike rate of 118.61. He is also their second-highest wicket-taker with 47 wickets in 48 innings.

Team news

Johnson Charles and King had an excellent series against South Africa and are likely to open in the first game with Powell, Pooran, Hetmyer and Sherfane Rutherford forming the middle order. Russell and Akeal Hosein are likely to be the allrounders, while the Josephs, Alzarri and Shamar, should lead the pace attack.

West Indies (probable XI): 1 Johnson Charles, 2 Brandon King, 3 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 4 Rovman Powell (capt), 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Sherfane Rutherford, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Akeal Hosein, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Shamar Joseph, 11 Gudakesh Motie

Ura, PNG's highest-run scorer in T20Is, will be the backbone of their batting unit along with Vala and Amini. Norman Vanua, their highest wicket-taker in the format, will lead the fast-bowling unit alongside John Kariko and Chad Soper.

PNG (probable XI): 1 Tony Ura, 2 Sese Bau, 3 Assad Vala (capt), 4 Lega Siaka, 5 Charles Amini, 6 Hiri Hiri, 7 Kiplin Doriga (wk), 8 Norman Vanua, 9 Alei Nao, 10, John Kariko, 11 Chad Soper

Stats that matter

Pooran has hit the most sixes in T20 cricket in 2024 - 77 - and he is fifth on the list for most runs in T20 cricket this year - 993

Russell's strike rate of 207.89 in T20 cricket this year is the highest for any batter who has faced more than 75 balls

Obed McCoy has picked up 36 wickets in T20 cricket this year, the fourth-highest

Ura is the only PNG batter to have scored a century in T20Is

Kariko is PNG's highest wicket-taker in T20Is since the start of 2023 - 25 in 16 games

Did you know?

Post the 2022 T20 World Cu, PNG have won 14 of the 18 T20Is they have played and have the second-best best percentage among all teams after Uganda 

Rovman Powell has the second-highest win percentage as West Indies' captain after Daren Sammy 

Andre Russell has scored 632 runs at at average of over 45 and a strike rate of 207.89. Additionally, with the ball, he has picked 34 wickets at a strike rate of 13.6

Quotes

"If Andre Russell rocks up for any international team, you would definitely slot him within the team. That is no surprise to see Andre automatically slot into our team. He comes with a wealth of experience and the good thing is he comes with additional confidence on the back of good performances in the IPL. We are definitely looking forward to Andre Russell being a significant part of our World Cup and hopefully, he can be a three-time World Cup champion after this." 

West Indies captain Rovman Powell expects big things from Andre Russell

"It means a lot to be playing amongst the best 20 teams in the world. We are going into games trying to win. We just don't want to go out there and play for the sake of playing. We are here to play the best cricket we can and the brand of cricket we know we can play."

PNG captain Assad Vala says his team isn't here just to make up the numbers