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Follow UsPNG’s stuttering start
Papua New Guinea looked out of place after being put in to with the bat, scoring only 15 runs for the loss of two wickets in their first four overs. On a slow pitch, the first boundary came after the wickets of Tony Ura and Lega Siaka. It looked like an embarrassing World Cup debut in store for the Oceanian nation.
Bau steps up
The left-hander Sese Bau weathered the storm for PNG, becoming the first batter from his nation to record a 50-plus score in the T20 World Cup history. Bau batted at run-a-ball for most of his innings until taking on Gudakesh Motie in the 13th over for three consecutive boundaries. His half-century shifted PNG from a territory of embarrassment to laying the foundation for their fight.
Doriga weighs in too
After Bau was out in the 17th over for a well-paced 50 off 43 balls, Kiplin Doriga weighed in with a quickfire 27 off 18 balls. PNG batted their first 17 overs at a run rate of 5.8. In the final three overs, they accumulated 37 runs with Kiplin scoring 25 of them. PNG finished 136/8 in their 20 overs.
PNG choke WI in the middle overs
There was another fight in store from PNG, this time with the ball. PNG conceded only 42 runs between overs 7 to 15 while picking three wickets. The spinners choked the West Indies middle order. Even at the top, Nicholas Pooran, batting at three, was once 2 off 13 balls before finishing at 27 off 27. With four overs left, West Indies were still 40 runs away from the target having just lost Rovman Powell and Sherfane Rutherford.
Chase, Russell finishes it off
Andre Russell (15 from 9) and Roston Chase (42 from 27) added 40 runs off 18 balls for the sixth wicket. Batting at four, Chase was the senior contributor in the partnership, scoring 25 off just nine deliveries. He was adjudged Player of the Match for his knock, alongside a spell of 0/26 with the ball. Russell, meanwhile, picked 2/19 in his bowling effort.
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