Match Center

Right then, that is it from this entertaining game where West Indies just about manages to get past Papua New Guinea. Next up in the T20 World Cup will be a game between Namibia and Oman on 3rd June, Monday. That match will begin at 6 am IST (12.30 am GMT), but as you know, you can always join us early for all the build-up to the same. Until then, cheers and goodbye!

Rovman Powell, the victorious skipper of West Indies is up for a chat. He starts by appreciating PNG for the way they played. Mentions that it was important to start well and he is happy to get the two points. Feels that they gave away 10-15 runs too many and wants to improve on that aspect. Shares that they have enjoyed playing together as a unit since he has taken over the captaincy and hopes to enjoy this tournament as a team. Lauds Roston Chase for his bowling effort as well as for his batting under pressure. Reckons that they can be better in all three departments and go back and see what they did not do well in this game while preparing for the next game.

Assad Vala, the captain of Papua New Guinea says that it was a competitive score but they missed a trick towards the end and were 10-15 runs short. Adds that he is happy how his bowlers showed fight and it was about winning the crunch moments towards the end and it is a learning for them. Mentions that this tournament is a big opportunity for them to showcase their skills against some of the big sides around the world. Ends by saying that Phil Simmons has been really helpful with the conditions, and he is very calm, and they will now want to keep the same level of energy in the next game against Uganada.

Roston Chase is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his match-winning knock. He says that he is very pleased to start the tournament with a win. Tells that he is happy to do the job for the team. Shares that it was hard for the new batter to start the innings so he tried to give himself time and back his skills. Mentions that once you got in, it was easier to bat. Further says that he has put in a lot of hard work for this event. States that no team can be taken lightly in this tournament and they went into the game with the mentality that they are facing a team like India or Australia.

Presentation Time...

Earlier in the game, Papua New Guinea posted a well below-par total on the board. Sese Bau was the top-scorer with his fantastic half-century while Assad Vala and Kiplin Doriga added some crucial runs as well. Andre Russell and Alzarri Joseph were the most successful bowlers for West Indies with a couple of wickets each while except for Roston Chase, every other bowlers got at least one wicket. While chasing, it was not easy at all for the hosts as PNG made them work really hard for every run. However, in the end, Papua New Guinea had to suffer heartbreak but they surely won a lot of hearts all around the world.

Papua New Guinea, on the other hand, should be extremely pleased with their bowling effort as they pushed the Windies to their limits. Alei Nao was brilliant with the new ball and bowled a wicket-maiden first and should have had Nicholas Pooran as well. However, their spinners were exceptional in the middle overs giving nothing away to the batters and picked up crucial wickets as well taking the game deep and making the hosts work hard for every run. Chad Soper and John Kariko chipped in with one wicket each. Their skipper, Assad Vala was fantastic in his first three overs, giving just 10 runs and getting two wickets but in the 18th over, he gave away 18 runs that tilted the game back in favour of the hosts and they couldn't really recover from that. Their ground fielding was a bit sloppy, and they gave away a few boundaries that proved to be really costly for them in the end.

West Indies suffered an early blow losing Johnson Charles quite early with not much on the board. Things could have been worse if Papua New Guinea took a review as Nicholas Pooran was out LBW but got a reprieve. However, Brandon King looked like he was batting on a different surface as he was only dealing in boundaries while Pooran was struggling to get ball on bat. Nikky P played a few lusty blows in the last over of Powerplay and the duo added 53 runs together with the hosts firmly in control of the game. The momentum suddenly shifted with the wickets of both set batters in quick succession. It became really hard for the middle order to score runs, and they kept losing wickets at regular intervals as well which didn't help their cause. Roston Chase held one end, losing partners at the other, but didn't throw his wicket away and finally found support from Andre Russell. They changed gears at the right time with Dre Russ playing second fiddle while Chase smashed 42 off just 27 balls to take his side home.

WEST INDIES SURVIVES A MASSIVE SCARE! This game never should have gone this far but credit goes to Papua New Guinea for their fight and determination to put up good challenge to the hosts. There was a little moment when it looked like they could pull off an upset, but their lack of experience combined with the firepower of West Indies proved too much to handle.

THAT'S IT! Roston Chase and Andre Russell get the job done. Kabua hurls it full and on middle, Andre Russell gets his bat out in front of the pads and flicks it towards wide long on for a run. West Indies win by 5 wickets and get their home World Cup campaign off to a winning start. Although they have ended up on the losing side, Papua New Guinea have sent a strong warning to the rest of the teams in Group C that they are no pushovers.

Scores level now. Dishes out a fullish delivery, outside off, Roston Chase squeezes it out with an open bat face in front of short third for a quick single.

FOUR! Two in two from Roston Chase and West Indies are just a hit away now. Kabua Morea goes searching for the yorker but ends up serving a low full toss, angling away, on off, Roston Chase opens up his front hip and with a still head, goes inside out over cover for four more runs. Just 2 needed now.

FOUR! Intelligent batting! Hurls it on a length, outside off, Roston Chase gets down on one knee and swats it aerially but in the vacant deep backward square leg region for a boundary.

Gets the yorker in does Morea from over the wicket, around off, Andre Russell gets behind the line and pushes it down to long on for one.

Serves it near the tramline on off, full in length, Andre Russell reaches out and carves it to the left of deep point for a couple of runs.

FOUR! A six and a four to close out the over. 18 runs off it and the balance of power completely in the favour of West Indies. Vala pulls his length back and bowls it around middle, Roston Chase gets on the back foot and thumps it flat towards long on. Hits it to the left of the long on fielder and picks up a boundary. Just 13 runs needed off the last 2 overs.

SIX! BANG! Launched down the ground! Vala misses his mark as he offers width and serves it right in the slot, Roston Chase swings through the line and pumps it over long off for a biggie.