T20 World Cup 2024

Despite an unfortunate loss to South Africa that ended their run in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, West Indies white-ball head coach, Daren Sammy expressed pride in his team’s remarkable journey throughout the tournament and Since last world cup. In this year we mis Opportunity

The West Indies showcased their resilience and skill, marking victories over formidable opponents and securing a place in the Super Eight.

West Indies’ performance in the tournament

The West Indies began their campaign with notable wins against New Zealand and Afghanistan, propelling them into the Super Eight stage. Even in this advanced phase, they continued to impress by defeating the USA, a team that had previously bested Pakistan in the group stage. Their performance demonstrated their growth and competitiveness on the international stage.

Daren Sammy’s statement

In his Post World Cup Speech, Daren Sammy highlighted the team’s commendable progress and resilience over the past year. His words reflect the team’s spirit and the significant strides they have made in their performance.

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Still, captain Powell is proud of how the team progressed throughout the year, moving up the ladder to third place in June 2024 [a recent loss saw them drop a position] in the ICC Men’s T20 International Team Rankings.

“Credit has to be given to the team. If you can take a year to move from number nine to number three in the world, that’s tremendous work.”

West Indies put up quite a show during the tournament, with a number of home players firing up the crowd’s imagination. There were brilliant wins over New Zealand and Afghanistan.

The West Indies captain shared his joy in seeing a lot of buzz around the Caribbean again.

“We haven’t won the World Cup, but there was a lot of improvement. There’s a lot of buzz around the Caribbean again about West Indies cricket. We have done some very good things over the last 12 months.”

“Now is where the work starts. It’s for us to continue to work as a group, still be tight, and hopefully, just hopefully, we can continue to climb the rankings and make the Caribbean people proud.”

Powell acknowledged the support they received on and off the field during the home World Cup and identified it as a sign that the team was headed in the right direction.

“That (the support) has been fantastic. For all the venues that we have played, for all the social media likes and stuff that people have given us, we as a team really appreciate it.”

Emphasizing on comeback of the West Indies’ cricketing culture, he added, “It’s good to see that some buzz is back in the Caribbean for cricket, because we know how long that has died down. Now people are rallying around the West Indies as they do. Now, when we hear the anthem play, as players we feel something. I think that is heading in the right direction.”

The Windies succumbed to a disheartening loss against South Africa to step back from the tournament as they failed to defend a target of 123, in 17 overs (DLS).

A poor batting display kept them restricted to 135 runs in 20 overs, with Roston Chase (52 runs in 42 balls) bagging himself a half century. With the ball, Alzarri Joseph, Andre Russell, and Chase did an excellent job picking up a total of seven wickets between them but thanks to a composed finish from Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada, the South Africans took home a three-wicket win with five balls to spare.

Though dismayed at this outing, Powell credited his side for their spirit.

“As a batting group, this is one batting performance we’ll try our best to forget. I think we didn’t bat well in the middle overs especially,” Powell said.

“You see both teams bat on the wicket. Obviously, it wasn’t an easy wicket, especially to get started. I think it was a commendable bowling effort. 130 (135) at the halfway mark, we said we’re just going to give it our all, whatever happens, happens.

“Credit has to be given to the guys at the halfway mark. They believed, even though it was only 135. They fight to the very end.”

West Indies will take on South Africa in the 50th match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The clash will take place at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua. This is the final game of the Super 8 stage for both these teams and hence they will look only to win to make sure they qualify for the semi-finals of the global showpiece event.

Needing to win three out of three to win a home World Cup and recreate the joy they did at Kensington Oval when they beat USA, West Indies clearly know where they need to get better: when they are batting in the middle overs.

Both their average and run-rate have been the lowest in that phase this World Cup. They are losing a wicket every 20 balls in the middle overs despite scoring just 123 per 100 balls. Even these numbers make them look better than they have been as it includes the onslaught against USA when they were assured of a win and had to go hard in order to improve their net run-rate.

It was in the middle overs against England, their only defeat so far, that West Indies let the game slip away. Especially in the first half of the middle overs, when they scored just 40 runs from overs seven to 11 in batting-friendly conditions. They had resolved to do better in those periods but never got tested when they played USA.

“When we lost to England, we struggled in that period after the powerplay,” Roston Chase admitted. “I mean USA and South Africa is two different opponents, but we spoke about that, and the guys came out and executed it well today. It was only four overs outside of the powerplay, but that’s the main focus, because we know we have the power at the end. So it’s just for us to control that powerplay with the batting and our bowling, and then for us in the batting to keep the momentum going through that 7 to 15 period where we fell down horribly against England.”

Middle overs is also where Chase might have a role to play. Just to be able to stay busy and not starve the in-form hitter of the strike. “Easy for me because my job is just to give them the strike and let them hit it for six,” Chase joked when asked how it was playing in a team full of power hitters. “So that’s right up my alley. I guess that’s why I’m pencilled in at 4 to just be that transition between the boundaries and just keeping the strike rotated as well. Because I find that most of the time the boundary hitters, they usually hit boundaries, but then they may get a few dot balls. And then it equals out the equation. But if you have me there just to stroke it around and look nice, that’s good.”

If he hasn’t batted till the 10th or the 11th over, though, Chase’s role is likely to be restricted to bowling in the middle overs and fielding at backward point, where he pulled off a stunning catch against USA.

“If I see 10 overs come and I haven’t gone up there yet, I just keep my eyes on Rovman [Powell, the captain] all the time,” Chase said. “Once I see he give me a look, I go, yeah. Yeah, it’s for the better of the team. And the guys go out there and execute and give it their all. I’m happy with that.”

In the absence of Brandon King, West Indies are now likely to open with Shai Hope, who was tried in the Chase role once earlier during the tournament. If Hope bats through into the middle overs, he is not the one to get bogged down.

West Indies and South Africa in a Super 8 Group 2 clash in Antigua on sunday evening. West Indies are playing better cricket in the 2024 T20 World Cup and are slight favourites over the Proteas. Quinton de Kock vs Alzarri Joseph will be a great match-up to watch.

South Africa are on a roll in the Super 8s and have made their case stronger for a place in the semis. The Proteas have won their first two matches in the Super 8s against USA and England. However, their win over West Indies in Antigua on Monday would take them straight to the semifinals.

After losing their first match in the Super 8s to England, West Indies have found their mojo back with a big win over USA on Saturday. Can the West Indies carry on the momentum when they clash against South Africa?

South Africa’s batting in the group stage was below par but they somehow managed to pull off wins and qualified to the Super 8s, and are in a good position to make it to the semis. Can they lose the chokers tag this time around?

THE LIKELY PLAYING XIs FOR WEST INDIES & SOUTH AFRICA

WEST INDIES likely XI

Batters – Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford

All-Rounders – Andre Russell, Roston Chase

Wicketkeeper – Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran, Johnson Charles

Bowlers – Obed McCoy, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie

South Africa likely XI

Batters – Reeza Hendricks, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs

All-Rounders – Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen

Wicketkeeper – Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen

Bowlers – Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ottneil Baartman

Statistical Performance (West Indies)

1. Nicholas Pooran

Nicholas Pooran is currently the top run-scorer in the 2024 T20 World Cup with 227 runs in six matches. The wicketkeeper-batter is in great form and would be a key in the clash against South Africa.

2. Andre Russell

Andre Russell is a key member in the West Indies T20 side and in this T20 World Cup he is proving his worth, with valuable contributions with the bat and ball. The allrounder has so far picked nine wickets off six matches in 2024 T20 World Cup.

Players Who Can Make a Difference (West Indies)

1.Akeal Hosein

Akeal Hosein has been one of the bowlers among wickets in this edition of the World Cup. In six matches, he has picked nine matches.

2. Gudakesh Motie

Gudakesh Motie has been among wickets in the 2024 T20 World Cup and remains an important bowler in the West Indies attack. In his last 6 matches, he has picked 16 wickets at a strike rate of 11.62 and economy of 6.35.

West Indies captain Rovman Powell has provided a concerning update regarding opener Brandon King’s injury, which he sustained while batting during their first Super Eight match against England at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St. Lucia.

Brandon King’s Injury

Brandon King suffered a muscle pull while batting on 23 off 13 balls, forcing him to retire hurt and be taken off the field immediately. He did not return for the rest of the match, where the West Indies posted a competitive total of 180-4 thanks to a strong batting performance.

Shimron Hetmyer substituted for King during the second innings, but King’s fitness remains a critical concern ahead of West Indies’ next match against the USA on June 21 at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados.

Rovman Powell’s Update on Brandon King

In the post-match presentation, West Indies skipper Rovman Powell expressed his worries about King’s injury, though he remained hopeful about King’s quick recovery.

“Just a bit worried, but hopefully he can pull through for the next game,” Powell remarked.

The severity of King’s injury is yet to be fully assessed, but the initial signs were not promising. King’s brief yet explosive innings, featuring 3 fours and 1 six, had provided the West Indies with a robust start.

Former West Indies pacer and well-known commentator Ian Bishop said that confidence will be key for the Men in Maroon and Yellow as they are heading into the Super-8 stage of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024 at home.

The West Indies cricket team is among the unbeaten teams alongside Australia, India, and South Africa, heading into the crucial round of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.

Rovman Powell and his team are in red-hot form, having won all four Group C matches, and now they would certainly love to extend their winning streak in the Super-8 stage of the tournament.

Ian Bishop backs West Indies for third T20 World Cup at home

The West Indies are the strongest contender to lift their third T20 World Cup title in front of their home crowd, but Bishop highlighted the recent trend where the hosts failed to win the ICC tournaments, warning the Men in Maroon and Yellow against getting complacent.

However, the cricket pundit believes that if the West Indies manage to maintain their high-flying confidence in the crucial phase of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024, then nobody can stop them from winning the prestigious trophy at home.

Meanwhile, as the T20 World Cup 2024 heats up, the West Indies team is riding high on confidence after a strong start in the tournament. But now, they will have their Super-8 game on June 20 against England, and then against the USA on June 22, followed by their final Super-8 match against South Africa on June 24, leaving them with limited time to prepare.

So, it can be exhausting for the West Indies to maintain momentum amidst their rapid schedule in the Super-8 stage, but Bishop stressed that maintaining focus and preparation won’t be a challenge for them, but their confidence, as they enter the crucial phase of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.

However, the commentator is optimistic about the West Indies’ chances to achieve a historic third T20 World Cup victory on home soil, as the prospects of winning the unprecedented trophy add extra motivation for the Caribbean squad.

Confidence will be key for West Indies in the Super 8s and knockouts of T20 World Cup 2024: Ian Bishop
Bishop emphasized the team’s current mindset and preparation as he recalled insights from a recent conversation with coach Daren Sammy, revealing that the players are full of confidence and determination and are ready to conquer the world.

Ian Bishop was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo: “And unprecedented if they win it on home soil, because, as you’ve always said, nobody’s really won the World Cup on their home soil just yet. Look, I think keeping them focused won’t be a problem. I think preparing them won’t be a problem.

It comes down to their confidence in what they’re doing now that we’re getting into that business area of this T20 World Cup. So, there’s a good vibe, though, because I remember talking to one coach just before the New Zealand game in Trinidad, and he said, these guys are focused. They are ready for this. There’s no fear, but pure focus in that dressing room. And I think we’re seeing that now.”

The West Indies have firmly announced they’re a force to be reckoned with, as the first round of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup comes to an end.

Nicholas Pooran’s fiery knock, followed by Obed McCoy’s spell helped West Indies thrash Afghanistan by 104 runs in their last Group C match of the T20 World Cup 2024.

Chasing a whopping target of 219, Afghanistan kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and eventually got bundled out for 114. For West Indies, Obed McCoy scalped three wickets while Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie scaped two wickets each.

Earlier, Rashid Khan won the toss and sent the West Indies in, targeting early breakthroughs at the run-happy Daren Sammy Cricket Ground venue. But there were ominous signs from the outset.

The West Indies start was truly jaw-dropping – it must be seen to be believed.

The second-over wicket of Brandon King (7 off 6) did little to halt the hosts’ momentum, as Johnson Charles and Nicholas Pooran both clicked into top gear, in the blink of an eye.

Charles struck three boundaries in the third over, which inspired Pooran to do something truly out of this world at the change of ends. The keeper-batter exploded, producing a 36-run over off Azmatullah Omarzai’s bowling – 6, 5NB, 5WD, 0, 4LB, 4, 6, 6.

It’s the fifth time in Men’s T20I history an over has gone for 36 runs, the second time at a Men’s World Cup. The final six of the Omarzai over saw the partnership reach 50.

The punishment continued, as the pair surged West Indies’ score to 92/1 at the six-over mark. It’s the biggest Powerplay total in Men’s T20 World Cup history.

All the records broken during West Indies’ stunning T20 World Cup innings

Highest T20 WC Team PowerPlay scores:

• 92 by West Indies vs Afghanistan (2024)
• 91 by Netherlands vs Ireland (2014)
• 89 by England vs South Africa (2016)
• 83 by South Africa vs England (2016)
• 82 by India vs Scotland (2021)

The highest total Afghanistan had conceded in the World Cup so far had been 95, against Papua New Guinea. The Windies cleared that at the 6.5 over mark.

Another boundary off the bat of Johnson Charles had the Windies click up to 100 from 7.4 overs, before the right-hander was dismissed to end the eighth over – crunching 43 off 27 balls. It ended an 80-run stand that took just six overs.

The hosts reached drinks at 113/2, eyeing off more batting history into the second half of the innings.

Shai Hope’s cameo (25 off 17) helped the run rate stay in double digits, as Pooran raised the bat in the 14th over – his 50 came off just 31 balls and it was his first half-century in a T20 World Cup.

The boundaries had dried up, though, with none off overs 12, 13, 14 and 15. Afghanistan got the hosts’ run rate back down under 10, before Rovman Powell started finding his range – a six to start the 16th over took the Windies past the 150 mark.

Pooran found his groove again in the 17th over before cracking a picture-perfect 24 runs off the 18th – off the bowling of Rashid Khan, no less. Khan conceded 45 runs, without a wicket, from his four overs.

Powell sent one skyward, removed for 26 off 15, which finally brought Andre Russell to the crease in the 19th over. But his task was to try and get Pooran back on strike, who had a century in his sights – he started on strike in the final over 15 runs shy of three figures.

After a wide to start, he crunched the next two balls for six each, moving three runs shy. Pooran then guided one through cover before being run out, attempting to get back for the second. It took a sensational throw from Omarzai to remove him for 98 off 53 balls – the highest individual score of the tournament so far.

The West Indies finished with 218/5, their highest batting score in T20 World Cups and the biggest of the tournament so far.

Records to fall that innings:

• Highest total of Men’s 2024 T20 World Cup
• Highest individual innings of Men’s 2024 T20 World Cup
• Highest Powerplay in Men’s T20 World Cup history
• Highest total for West Indies in Men’s T20 World Cups
• Equal most runs conceded in one over in Men’s T20 World Cup history
• Second highest team total against Afghanistan in Men’s T20I history
• Pooran overtook Chris Gayle for most sixes by West Indies player in Men’s T20I history

Afghanistan knew it was straight to fifth gear if they were to be any chance of running down the hosts’ huge total. So a third-ball dismissal made matters worse as Rahmanullah Gurbaz (0 off 3) lobbed one straight to Russell.

Keeping calm, Gulbadin Naib and Ibrahim Zadran knuckled down and had Afghanistan emerge at 45/1 at the end of the Powerplay.

Gutakesh Motie struck next over, triggering a consistent run of wickets leading up the the innings midpoint, as the Afghans were 66/5 at drinks.

Karim Janat and Omarzai looked refreshed after drinks, both banging sixes in the 11th over. But when Omarzai was removed in the 13th over (23 off 19), the Windies enjoyed consistent success in the field from there.

Afghanistan was all out for 114, suffering their first defeat of the World Cup and pocketing some important findings before their second round tilt.

Winning by 104 runs, the West Indies enter the next phase of the tournament in world-beating form and will be a force to be reckoned with, as the pressure continues to build.

Co-hosts West Indies (WI) and Afghanistan (AFG) lock horns in the 40th match of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 on Tuesday, June 18, at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia.

The two teams are placed in Group C alongside New Zealand, Uganda, and Papua New Guinea. This encounter is going to be a preparatory match for both sides as these two teams have qualified for the Super Eight stage.

The Rovman Powell-led side defeated their other group opponents and are in the second position in the standings after winning three games in a row with a brilliant net run-rate (NRR) of +2.596.

Meanwhile, Rashid Khan & Co have also had an impressive run in the tournament so far, winning all their matches and having an impressive NRR of +4.230. Afghanistan has experienced a remarkable rise in recent times, getting rid of its underdog status and becoming a strong contender to lift its inaugural ICC title.

West Indies and Afghanistan will leave no stone unturned in the upcoming encounter, hoping to tick all of their boxes before playing Super Eight matches.

Team news

Barring any last-minute injuries, both teams are likely to be unchanged. It could perhaps be a last chance for Johnson Charles to come good, with Shai Hope waiting in the wings.

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

Afghanistan (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Gulbadin Naib, 4 Azmatullah Omarzai, 5 Mohammad Nabi, 6 Najibullah Zadran, 7 Karim Janat, 8 Rashid Khan (capt), 9 Noor Ahmad, 10 Naveen-ul-Haq, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi.

Pitch and conditions

The pitches so far in Gros Islet have been more conducive for batting than most at this World Cup, with teams scoring 180 or more in three out of four innings. At this venue, teams generally prefer to bowl first after winning the toss. In 14 T20s since the start of 2022, only twice have teams opted to bat first. But the results have been mixed: teams batting first have won six times and teams bowling first have also won six times, while two games were washed out.

T20 World Cup debutants Uganda realized the gulf between playing regional teams and the top-ranked sides in the ICC T20I rankings as they registered the lowest total ever recorded in the history of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup while playing at Providence Stadium in Guyana in the 18th match against co-hosts West Indies.

Akeal Hosein was wrecker-in-chief for West Indies as the left-arm off-spinner spun a web around the Uganda batters. Hosein recorded the second-best bowling figures by a West Indian in T20I history. Notably, this is the biggest T20I win for West Indies in terms of margin of runs.

Uganda’s batting order fell like a pack of cards as none of their batters had an answer to Akeal Hosein’s well-disguised arm-ball. Hosein finished with 5/10 in his four-over spell to record the best bowling figures for West Indies in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Hosein’s spell helped West Indies register the second-biggest win in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in terms of margin of runs. West Indies emerged victorious by 134 runs and are now consolidating their second spot in Group C behind Afghanistan.

Coming back to the fixture, Hosein claimed the best bowling figures ever recorded by a West Indian in a Men’s T20 World Cup game as he shattered Samuel Badree’s decade-old record. Badree had bagged 4/15 against Bangladesh in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2014 at the Sher-E-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

Uganda never recovered from Hosein’s terrific spell and got bundled out for 39 in just 12 overs, equalling the lowest total in T20 World Cup history. Netherlands had also registered 39 runs in a T20 World Cup 2014 fixture against Sri Lanka in Chattogram.

Earlier in the day, West Indies posted 173 runs on the board for the loss of five wickets. While Johnson Charles (44 off 42 balls) was the highest scorer for the Windies, it was Andre Russell’s 17-ball 30* that injected momentum into the team’s run rate.

West Indies skipper Rovman Powell seemed pleased with the win and emphasized getting better with every game in the tournament despite the ever-present pressure of performing at home.

“We talk about improving 10-15% every match. Last game, we were flat so we just wanted to improve as a team. When you are playing at home, the pressure can sometimes get to you. So, a little bit of rust (in the first match). We started off at 60%, now up to 70-80% and from here, it gets tougher,” said Powell during the post-match presentation.

Roston Chase, Player of the match in West Indies’ clash against Papua New Guinea, believes that, going forward, the two-time champions will have to focus on significantly reducing their dot ball percentage, particularly in the middle-overs.

West Indies got over the line against PNG but they were reeling at 97/5 at one point, chasing 137. What got them there in the first place was the high dot ball percentage in the middle overs, which read a whopping 51.8%.

There, the hosts dug themselves out of a hole, but Chase believes that the Windies will need to be smarter with the bat, particularly on slow surfaces.

“I just think for us, it’s a case where we have to improve our dot ball percentage, especially in the middle overs,” Chase said ahead of the Uganda clash.

“I mean, the pitch is a difficult one that we played on in the first game. So, I think it’s a case where we just need to don’t panic too quickly. Just try to stabilize the middle overs, because we have a lot of power in the back end to kind of make up for it.

“So, it’s just a case where we just need to get a few singles more and ones into twos and stuff like that, and then just launch in the back end.”

Against PNG, West Indies had Chase to thank for. The right-hander, walking in at No.4, steadied the ship first before launching towards the end once Sherfane Rutherford got out.

The 32-year-old, who is striking at 152 this calendar year, believes that his T20 batting has definitely evolved.

“Yeah, well, my game was always one, I could always rotate the strike and turn over the strike in the middle overs. But I think my game has evolved where I have learned and I’ve been practicing to finish the game in the back end in terms of the power hitting and getting stronger and stuff.

“So, I think that’s what really helped my game to evolve. So that’s made me a better player, yes,” he said.

Being an anchor in the midst of big hitters, Chase is almost fulfilling the role Marlon Samuels played during the Windies’ triumph in both 2012 and 2016. The 32-year-old said that he is pleased to see the comparisons, but insisted that he is his own man and, at this point, has a specific ‘Roston Chase’ role that was discussed with the coaches well ahead of the competition.

“Yeah, I mean, there could only be one Marlon Samuels and one Roston Chase. I mean, if people want to call it the Marlon Samuels role, I have no problem with that. He’s won two world titles playing that role, and I mean, being the man of the match in two of the finals. So, I have no problem with that tag, but I’m my own player,” Chase said.

“I mean, I don’t see it as his role. I see it as my own role. The coaches, you know what I mean, sit down, and spoke to me about the role. And there was no mention of Marlon Samuels. But yeah, I don’t mind at all. Once I’m doing what is required of the team, I mean, for the team, and doing it well, I am happy with that.”

The Windies will enter the clash on June 8 (Saturday) as overwhelming favorites, but Chase made it clear that his side won’t be taking Uganda lightly. The all-rounder asserted that this is a World Cup where any team can beat any other team on a given day.

“Every team has come here to win. So, you can’t take any team lightly because even in the first game that we played, we were on the back foot a bit. So, it’s clear to see that any team can win on the day. So, you have to take every game very serious and go out there and play your best game every game,” Chase said.