🏏ICC T20I WC 2024: Match 26: WI vs NZ,Trinidad @6am IST🏏

🏏ICC T20I WC 2024: Match 26: WI vs NZ, at Brian Lara Stadium Tarouba, Trinidad on 13/06/2024 @ 6:00 IST🏏 

The Rovman Powell-led side won their first two games of the tournament against Papua New Guinea and Uganda at the Providence Stadium in Guyana. In their first game against Papua New Guinea, Powell and Co. ran through the opposition batting order restricting them to 136/8, and later chased down the target and won the game by five wickets and an over to spare.

In their last game against Uganda, batting first, West Indies posted a total of 173/5. It was not their batting that won them the game but it was their bowling, especially from Akeal Hosein who picked five wickets and helped his side register a 134-run victory.

On the other hand for New Zealand, the forthcoming game will be their second match of the event. Notably, the BlackCaps suffered a huge upset in their first game against Afghanistan as they were bowled out for 75 runs while chasing a target of 160 runs. Eventually, the Afghan side won the game by a huge margin of 84 runs.

Brian Lara Stadium, Trinidad Pitch Report 

The pitch at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad is known for its sluggish nature, making it one of the slower surfaces in the Caribbean region. The batters often find it challenging to score a substantial total on this surface. The slow nature of the pitch favours the spinners, who can extract significant turn and bounce, making it helpful for them to give the ball a rip. Out of the seven matches played at this venue, the team batting first has emerged victorious on three occasions, while the team batting second has won the remaining four matches. The average first-inning score at this ground stands at 161 runs. The team that wins the toss will bowl first.

WI vs NZ Probable Playing XIs

West Indies (WI): 

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

New Zealand (NZ):

Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wk), Kane Williamson (c), Michael Bracewell, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Philips, Mark Chapman, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry

WI vs NZ Probable Best Players of the Match

Probable Best Batter of the Match:

Johnson Charles could be the best batter in the upcoming game against New Zealand. The right-hand opener looked in great touch in their previous fixture against Uganda, scoring 44 runs from 42 balls to help place his team in a comfortable position. The 35-year-old has featured in 53 T20Is and has scored 1,206 runs at a strike rate of 132.23. His performance will be crucial in the upcoming match against a star-studded Kiwi side.

Probable Best Bowler of the Match:

Akeal Hosein could be the best bowler in the upcoming fixture against New Zealand. The 31-year-old spinner is coming off a sensational performance against Uganda, ending with his career-best figures of 5/11. Hosein is the highest wicket-taker for West Indies in the marquee event with six wickets.

Did you know?

-Tarouba has hosted 12 T20s since 2021 with sides batting first winning seven of those. In the four night games here, chasing sides has won three out four. 

- Roston Chase has scored 323 runs in 11 T20s in 2024 at a strike rate of 142.29. He has also picked 9 wickets this year. 

- Glenn Phillips strikes at 182.16 against West Indies in T20Is

How do you overturn a Net Run Rate of -4.20 especially in a competition where the margin for error is very less? New Zealand's heavy defeat against Afghanistan could cost them dearly unless they dramatically turn things around. While they are expected to put Uganda and PNG away, this clash against the hosts West Indies is extremely vital if this has to turn into a three-way race for those two spots in Super 8. 

New Zealand's decision to not play warmups did come under the scanner after that loss against Afghanistan. They certainly didn't look equipped for the challenge and the lack of game time for the likes of Devon Conway and Kane Williamson showed up. That proud run over the last decade in ICC tournaments could come to a screeching halt if they lose to the two-time champions. 

West Indies on the other hand have made a pretty good start to the tournament. While this is still their first big test, the wins over Uganda and PNG have given the side a certain degree of confidence as they look to redeem themselves on the big stage. While they did stutter a fair bit against PNG in the run chase, the bowlers shot out Uganda for just 39. A third win on the trot will cement their spot in the final 8.

Big picture - WI eye Super Eight spot

Since 2015, New Zealand have been the most consistent side in World Cups, making it to the semi-final in all six editions - in 2015, 2019 and 2023 in the ODI World Cup, and in 2016, 2021 and 2022 in the T20 versions. They reached the final on three of those occasions even though they never lifted the trophy.

But at the 2024 T20 World Cup, they are in danger of elimination after just one match. An 84-run thrashing at the hands of Afghanistan means the game against West Indies is almost a virtual knockout for them.

The loss against Afghanistan, during which they looked rusty with bat as well as in the field, also put under scrutiny their refusal to play any warm-up games.

West Indies, too, started their campaign in a stuttering manner, taking 19 overs to chase down 137 against Papua New Guinea. But they roared back to bundle out Uganda for 39 to register a 134-run win. If they beat New Zealand, they will become the first team from Group C to qualify for the Super Eight.

West Indies know this is their toughest challenge yet but, as their captain Rovman Powell said, "if there is a good time to play New Zealand, it is now".

This is the first men's T20 World Cup game in Trinidad; they did not get any in 2010. That could be one reason the ICC is expecting a strong crowd, probably a sell-out.

Form guide

West Indies WWWWW (last five T20Is, most recent first)

New Zealand LLWWL

In the spotlight - Roston Chase and Kane Williamson

With just 15 T20I caps, Roston Chase is one of the least experienced players in the West Indies squad. But given the low-scoring pitches in the World Cup so far, he has emerged as one of their most important players, thanks to his ability to play the anchor's role and bowl economical offspin. In five T20Is this year, Chase has scored 178 runs at a strike rate of 154.78 and picked up four wickets at an economy of 5.92.

In the Afghanistan game, nothing symbolised New Zealand's rustiness more than Kane Williamson's dismissal: steering the ball into the hands of first slip off Rashid Khan. Between the last T20 World Cup and this one, Williamson played just eight T20s. Even though he was with Gujarat Titans for IPL 2024, he featured in only two games. The reason being Williamson is not your modern, power-hitting T20 batter, but he could hold the key to his team's chances on these pitches.

Stats and trivia - Pooran set to overtake Gayle

• Among those who have scored at least 500 runs across all T20s since the start of 2024, Andre Russell (205.15) is the only one to have a strike rate in excess of 200.
• Mitchell Santner's T20 economy rate in the West Indies is 5.55.
• Nicholas Pooran needs three runs to take over Chris Gayle's tally of 1899 to become the leading run-getter for West Indies in T20Is. 
• Pooran has hit the most sixes (82) in T20s this year.

Quotes

"Not just playing at RR, cricket is a global sport now with a lot of technology around. So everything you do in every single game is available to everyone around the world. Thankfully for us, we have a very good analyst who has figured out some of the strengths and weaknesses of Trent Boult. So hopefully tomorrow we can mitigate his strengths and try to capitalise."

West Indies captain Rovman Powell on playing against his IPL team-mate

"From talking with a few of the West Indies boys and getting some understanding of what it plays like, they said sometimes it could be a sort of scrappy wicket around that 140-150 [mark]. And then there have been some games where it has been high-scoring. I look forward to the challenge tomorrow and try to adapt as quickly as possible."

New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson on the pitch