GEORGETOWN, June 2:
Two-time champions West Indies were put under extreme pressure by a plucky Papua New Guinea unit before scraping through with a five-wicket win in their T20 World Cup opener here on Sunday.
Left-hander Sese Bau (50 off 43) made a fine half-century to take PNG to 136 for eight after the associate nation lost their first four wickets for 50 runs.
A power-packed West Indies should have chased down the below-par total comfortably but PNG made them work hard for the win despite their limitations.
PNG’s spinners as well medium pacers did not allow the hard-hitting West Indies batters to cut loose on a slow surface. The tournament co-hosts eventually got home in 19 overs thanks to rearguard action from Roston Chase (42 not out off 27 balls) and Andre Russell (15 off 9).
The West Indies’ innings was halted for 20 minutes due to rain but there was no loss of overs. The passing shower arrived with the home team at 8 for one in the second over and it would have been two down at the same score had right-arm pacer Alei Nao won a lbw review for the dangerous Nicholas Pooran.
After trapping Johnson Charles off his very first ball, Nao got another one to seam back in from short of length to leave Pooran stranded but luck was on the latter’s side. However, his scratchy effort ended when he was caught in the deep off left-arm spinner John Kariko.
Scores:
Papua New Guinea: 136 for 8 in 20 overs (Sese Bau 50; Andre Russell 2/19, Alzarri Joseph Alzarri Joseph 2/34).
West Indies: 137 for 5 in 19 overs (Roston Chase 42 not out; Assad Vala 2/28). (PTI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
