Two-time champion West Indies was put underneath excessive strain by a plucky Papua New Guinea (PNG) unit earlier than scraping by means of with a five-wicket win of their T20 World Cup opener right here on Sunday.
Left-hander Sese Bau (50 off 43) made a fantastic half-century to take PNG to 136 for eight after the affiliate nation misplaced its first 4 wickets for 50 runs.
An influence-packed West Indies ought to have chased down the below-par complete comfortably however PNG made it work exhausting for the win regardless of its limitations.
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PNG’s spinners and medium pacers didn’t enable the hard-hitting West Indies batters to chop unfastened on a sluggish floor. The event co-host ultimately bought dwelling 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 staff at 8 for one within the second over and it could have been two down on the similar rating had right-arm pacer Alei Nao gone for a leg-before-wicket evaluation towards the damaging Nicholas Pooran.
After trapping Johnson Charles off his very first ball, Nao bought 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 at 97 for 5 in 16 overs earlier than Chase and Russell bought maintain of the proceedings.
West Indies’ Andre Russell performs a shot.
| Photograph Credit score:
AP
West Indies’ Andre Russell performs a shot.
| Photograph Credit score:
AP
After PNG was despatched in to bat, Bau made prompt influence on the large stage together with his spirited effort. PNG, enjoying its second T20 World Cup, was reeling at 50 for 4 earlier than Bau shared a 44-run stand with Charles Amini (12) to put it aside the blushes.
Anticipating the pitch to show, the West Indies picked three spinners and put the opposition in after successful 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 batter, 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 by means of the quilt area earlier than being caught brilliantly by Chase at backward level.
Vala’s six over further 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 its innings.
Bau, a leftie like Vala, smashed left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie for a six and couple of fours to present the innings a lot wanted momentum. Regardless of his departure, the affiliate nation did effectively to get near the 140-run mark.