Guyana, JUN 2: West Indies thumped Papua New Guinea by five wickets to start their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign with a win at Guyana’s Providence stadium.

The home side chased the target in 19 overs on the back of sixth-wicket stand of unbeaten 40 runs between Roston Chase and Andre Russell.

Earlier, West Indies didn’t allow PNG to settle early as they kept taking wickets at regular intervals and restricted them on 136-8.

The only notable partnership PNG had was of Sese Bau and Charles Amini for the fifth wicket where they scored 44 runs which gave them some momentum.

Bau was the notable batter, scoring a brilliant 43-ball 50 with the help of a six and half a dozen fours.

Skipper Assad Vala made 22-ball 21 with the help of two fours and a six.

Kiplin Doriga (27*) chipped in with some vital runs at the backend to take the total to 136/8.

Andre Russell was the pick of the bowlers, bagging figures of 2.19 while Alzarri Joseph took 2/34.

Akeal Hosein, Romario Shepherd and Gudakesh Motie took a wicket apiece.

Earlier, West Indies won the toss and captain Rovman Powell opted to bowl first.

“With the inclement weather around and on a fresh wicket, it’s right for us to have a bowl,” he said.

Playing XIs

West Indies: 1 Johnson Charles, 2 Brandon King, 3 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 4 Roston Chase, 5 Rovman Powell (capt), 6 Sherfane Rutherford, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Romario Shepherd, 9 Akeal Hosein, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Gudakesh Motie

PNG: 1 Tony Ura, 2 Assad Vala (capt), 4 Sese Bau, 5 Hiri Hiri, 6 Charles Amini, 7 Kipling Doriga, 8 Alei Nao, 9 Chad Soper, 10 Kabua Morea, 11 John Kariko