Rovman Powell © Getty Images
West Indies captain Rovman Powell won the toss and opted to bowl first against Papua New Guinea in the opening group C match of the T20 World Cup at the Guyana National Stadium on Sunday.
Despite a green-tinged pitch, the two-time former champions have opted for three spinners – Roston Chase, Akeil Hosein and Gudakesh Motie – in their final 11 at the start of a campaign in which they seek to become the first hosts to lift the T20 World Cup.
PNG, who stunned Zimbabwe on an unbeaten run to qualify for their second T20 World Cup appearance, are again reliant on their most experienced players – captain Assad Vala and fellow top-order batters Tony Ura and Lega Siaka – to post a challenging total.
Their only previous meeting in an official international fixture was at the 2018 qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe for the 2019 50-over-side World Cup where then captain Jason Holder’s unbeaten 99 guided West Indies to a six-wicket win in Harare.
WEST INDIES: Rovman Powell (captain), Brandon King, Johnson Charles, Nicholas Pooran, Roston Chase, Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Assad Vala (captain), Tony Ura, Lega Siaka, Sese Bau, Hiri Hiri, Charles Amini, Kiplin Doriga, Alei Nao, Chad Soper, Kabua Morea, John Kariko
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Shoriful Islam © Gallo Images
Bangladesh pace spearhead Shoriful Islam is a doubt for the team’s first match of the T20 World Cup after he split the webbing between his index and middle finger while fielding a warm-up in New York on Saturday.
The injury to the left-armer’s bowling hand needed stitches and leaves him racing against time to make Bangladesh’s opening match against Sri Lanka on Friday in Dallas.
“He’s got six stitches,” Bangladesh Cricket Board physician Debashis Chowdhury said in a video message on Sunday.
“Considering his importance, we are trying to give our best so that he can come back quickly,” Chowhdury said.
The left-armer paceman tried to stop a drive from Hardik Pandya in the final over of India’s innings and was hit on his bowling hand. He was taken from the field for treatment.
Struggling Bangladesh, who lost the match by 60 runs, are also battling to get fellow pace bowler Taskin Ahmed fit for the Sri Lanka clash.
Taskin missed the recent three-match series against the United States, which Bangladesh lost 2-1.
Bangladesh have never qualified for the knockout phase of the T20 World Cup and are drawn in a tough Group D against Sri Lanka, South Africa, the Netherlands and Nepal.
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