The two most successful T20 teams go head-to-head in a mighty Super Eights cricket clash in Saint Lucia.
Who: West Indies vs England
What: ICC T20 World Cup Super Eight Group 2
When: Wednesday, June 19, 8:30pm local time (00:30 GMT, June 20)
Where: Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Gros Islet, Saint Lucia
How to follow: Al Jazeera’s live coverage gets under way at 21:30 GMT
England fast bowler Reece Topley believes the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground will turn into a “cauldron” when the two most successful Twenty20 (T20) sides meet in their Super Eight game on Wednesday.
Holders and two-time champions England hit form just before entering the second half of the tournament, while hosts and the other two-time champions West Indies have not lost a game so far. Add to that the vibrant home crowd and the loud English travelling fans, and the match is set to be played in an electric atmosphere.
“The West Indies will try and rally them [fans] and create this cauldron of an atmosphere tomorrow night,” Topley said in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
The pace bowler said he expects the wicket to assist batters but will be good for both sides.
“The wickets have been kind to bowlers so far, so it might be time to take a bit of medicine [as a bowler].”
Despite the hosts being crowd favourites and an in-form team, Topley insists that England will be up for the challenge and want to show them their own brand of “good cricket”.
“Come Wednesday night it should be a very good game,” he said.
West Indies captain Rovman Powell believes there will be a sense of familiarity when both sides meet, given the frequency of their T20 clashes and, as happens in a bout, whichever team gets on top will look to “stay on top for as long as possible”.
“They know a lot about us, we know a lot about them,” Powell told reporters on Tuesday.
Powell was full of praise for his spinner Akael Hosein, who has picked up nine wickets in the tournament so far.
“He’s an integral part [of the team], especially for controlling the power play [period] for us.
“He has been doing it, not just for the World Cup, but before the World Cup – so hopefully he can continue.”
West Indies have been blessed with the power-hitting form of batter Nicholas Pooran, who is second on the tournament’s run-scoring chart and hit 53-ball-98 in the match against Afghanistan.
“You can see from the innings that Nicholas Pooran played, when good batters get set on a good wicket, it becomes difficult to come up with plans to stop them,” Powell said.
Nicholas Pooran is in some very powerful company!💪🏾
The top 5️⃣ players with the most sixes for the #MenInMaroon🔥 #WIREADY | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/GO7iSFlt99
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) June 18, 2024
Both sides have met quite often – 29 times – in the shortest format of the game, where West Indies hold the edge with 17 wins compared to England’s 12.
The pitch in Saint Lucia has produced high-scoring results in the tournament and is expected to aid batters.
Wind will have a role to play in the game and both sides will look to use it to their advantage while bowling and batting.
The forecast is humid with patchy clouds and a low chance of evening showers.
West Indies will have no complaints going into the Super Eights, having won all of their group-stage matches comfortably at home. They are an in-form side and will back themselves in front of a partisan crowd in Saint Lucia.
England were on the brink of elimination, but hit the right gears when it mattered in their last three group games. They will look to carry that momentum into the second half of the tournament.
West Indies: W W W W W
England: W W W L W
West Indies have been one of the strongest teams so far and are unlikely to change the side that beat Afghanistan in their last game.
Squad: Rovman Powell (captain), Alzarri Joseph, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd
England are likely to field the same XI that brought them two important wins in their last two group games.
Squad: Jos Buttler (captain), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood
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