Windies survive PNG scare to win T20 World Cup opener

ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, Group C, Guyana

Papua New Guinea 136-8 (20 overs): Bau 50 (43), Russell 2-19

West Indies 137-5 (19 overs): Chase 42* (27), Vala 2-28

West Indies triumph by 5 wickets

Scorecard

Co-hosts West Indies survived a scare to commencement their Men's T20 World Cup run pinch a five-wicket triumph complete Papua New Guinea successful Guyana.

They needed 37 to triumph disconnected nan last 19 balls, but nan Windies, who are two-time champions, won pinch six balls to spare.

Roston Chase top-scored, hitting an unbeaten 42, arsenic his 40-run business pinch Andre Russell sewage them complete nan statement aft concisely being spooked by PNG.

PNG's fell to 7-2 astatine nan commencement of nan 3rd complete of their innings erstwhile opener Tony Ura and Lega Siaka's expressive batting grounded to salary off.

Opener and skipper Assad Vala added 21, pinch Sese Bao past adding 50 disconnected 43 balls earlier being bowled by Alzarri Joseph to time off PNG 98-6.

Wicketkeeper Kiplin Doriga (27 not out) added precocious runs arsenic they vanished 136-8.

Russell and Joseph claimed 2 wickets each, pinch Akeal Hosein, Romario Shepherd and Gudakesh Motie each taking 1 each.

In response, West Indies opener Johnson Charles was trapped lbw by Alei Nao for a aureate duck. Nao besides could person dismissed Windies wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran connected a duck successful nan 2nd over, pinch nan exertion showing it would person been if reviewed.

After surviving that early scare, Pooran put connected a 53-run business pinch Brandon King earlier holing retired connected 27.

Vala past dismissed King (34) and Sherfane Rutherford (2), pinch Windies falling from 61-1 to 97-5.

Needing 37 disconnected nan past 19 balls, nan knowledgeable business of Chase and Russell sewage Windies complete nan statement arsenic they avoided a daze defeat.

Russell ended nan 17th complete by pouncing connected a agelong hop to find six earlier Chase deed a 4 disconnected nan adjacent ball, talented by a PNG misfield arsenic they scored nan runs required successful conscionable 13 balls.