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West Indies are competing against Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the second match of the T20 World Cup 2024 at Providence Stadium in Guyana. Windies captain Rovman Powell won the toss and chose to field first, intending to take advantage of the fresh wicket. This strategy paid off, as the West Indies bowlers delivered a spectacular performance by taking three PNG wickets within the powerplay.
Early breakthroughs for the co-hosts
West Indies bowlers justified their captain’s decision by striking early. Romario Shepherd drew first blood by dismissing PNG opener Tony Ura in the second over. In the very next over, Akeal Hosein bowled a beauty to clean up Lega Siaka. Alzarri Joseph then joined the action, dismissing PNG skipper Assad Vala on the final ball of the powerplay, thanks to an extraordinary effort by Roston Chase.
Roston Chase’s stunning catch
Chase’s brilliant catch was the highlight of the powerplay. It occurred when Joseph bowled a short-of-length delivery angled across the left-handed Vala. Spotting the width, Vala slashed hard, sending the ball flying towards backward point. Chase moved swiftly to his left and took a stunning catch, showcasing his athleticism and sharp reflexes.
Here is the video:
SCREAMER! 🥵#AlzarriJoseph strikes in his very first over and gets the #PapuaNewGuinea skipper caught at point!
📺 | #WIvPNG | LIVE NOW | #T20WorldCupOnStar (Only available in India) pic.twitter.com/g0EaFdHsNb
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 2, 2024
Also WATCH: T20 World Cup 2024, WI vs PNG – Reason why Shimron Hetmyer and Norman Vanua are not playing today’s game
West Indies’ redemption quest
West Indies are on a mission to redeem themselves in this edition of the T20 World Cup. They have previously won the trophy in 2012 and 2016 but faced disappointing outcomes in the last two editions. In 2021, they managed just one win in five matches, exiting at the Super 12s stage. In 2022, they failed to advance to the Super 12s, losing to Ireland and Scotland in the opening round. Notably, no host nation has ever won the men’s T20 World Cup, and West Indies will aim to change the history this time around.
PNG’s World Cup aspirations
Papua New Guinea, entering their second World Cup, are eager to leave a mark and potentially upset stronger teams. They bring a wealth of experience, with ten members of their 2021 squad making a return.
