New Zealand fans might struggle to accept it, but this will essentially be the first knockout match at the T20 World Cup.
The Black Caps suffered a stunning defeat at the hands of Afghanistan in their opening Group C game.
New Zealand slid to 33-4 in the seventh over while chasing 160 and eventually crumpled to 75 all-out with 28 balls remaining. Earlier, Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz had scored 80 off 56 balls, on his own.
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The reasons for the Kiwis’ poor showing centre largely on their lack of match practice – it was the first time they had fielded their first choice T20 side since February, when they took on visiting Australia on home soil.
They sent a second-string side to Pakistan for a five-match T20I series in April, while skipper Kane Williamson and talisman Glenn Phillips were largely carrying drinks in the IPL and opening duo Finn Allen and Devon Conway missed both Pakistan and the IPL through injury. Despite all this the Black Caps opted not to take part in any warm-up games in the region before the tournament started.
The fact they were the last team in the group to play their opening game, and then got humbled in it, means they are already on the verge of elimination.
Afghanistan and West Indies have two wins apiece and Afghanistan’s run-rate is such they have one foot in the Super 8a – they have won their games by a combined margin of 209 runs for a run rate of 5.225 and can seal their progress by winning one of their final two games, against Papua New Guinea or the Windies.
New Zealand will need to match West Indies and Afghanistan by walloping Uganda by 120+ runs and do similar against Papua New Guinea, in addition to winning this encounter in Trinidad, where several of the Windies stars play their domestic cricket and where the nation won their last match, against England in December.
Kiwis batting coach Luke Ronchi admitted: “Well, West Indies are an amazing T20 team. They’re a strong team that can change the game very quickly and it’s obviously their home conditions as well.
“They have a lot of guys from Trinidad playing in their team, so they know the conditions and the ground at the Brian Lara Stadium.
“It’s [about] making sure we do what we do. That’s something we missed in the first game.”
The Windies will almost certainly need to beat New Zealand or Afghanistan to ensure their progress – unless Mother Nature decides to intervene in proceedings.
If they manage it they will reach six points, Afghanistan will fancy their chances of doing likewise against PNG the following day and New Zealand’s last two games, against Uganda on Saturday and Papua New Guinea on Monday, will be dead rubbers.
Akeal Hosein spun his way to figures of 5-11 as West Indies registered a record win over Uganda in their second game, skittling the Africans for just 39 for a 134-run win – the second widest winning margin in T20 World Cup history.
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Hosein knows the 2019 runners-up will be a different prospect from their opening two group opponents and added: “I think going into the third game, we definitely are force to reckon with.
“We have been playing good cricket over the last 12 years and we have improved immensely in areas that we weren’t the best at.”
Rovman Powell, West Indies captain, says there is even more to come from his side.
“We talk about improving 10-15% every match. (Against Papua New Guinea) 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.
“It is just for us to continue to play good cricket. We have played good cricket for the last 12 months or so. It gets tougher from here but we understand conditions and cricket is not easy in the Caribbean.”
Expected line-ups
West Indies: Charles, King, Pooran (wk), Powell (c), Hetmyer, Rutherford, Russell, Hosein, A Joseph, S Joseph, Motie.
New Zealand: Conway, Ravindra, Williamson (c), Mitchell, Latham (wk), Phillips, Chapman, Santner, Ferguson, Boult, Southee.
How to watch
Sky have the rights to show the T20 World Cup to UK viewers in 2024 and will broadcast every game live. Coverage gets underway on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Cricket from 1am UK time in the early hours of Thursday morning.
In India, the games can be streamed on Disney + Hotstar app and website. They are also available across the Star Sports Network.
Welcome to Trinidad, #MenInMaroon!🇹🇹🙌🏾#WIREADY | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/WNRO9oibWA
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) June 9, 2024
Prediction
The biggest game of the tournament so far? India and Pakistan fans might disagree, but one of these sides is going home early and falling short of the Super 8s.
New Zealand might have only played one match but it went so terribly that they are already drinking in last chance saloon.
Expect them to put up more of a fight than they did against Afghanistan, however the West Indies are a juggernaut of momentum, have home advantage, plenty of experience of the Trinidad venue and beat England there not too long ago.
It’s the Windies to lose and the undercooked Kiwis won’t be able to stop them.
