By Rex Clementine
A crucial group ‘C’ game will take place in Trinidad on Wednesday between West Indies and New Zealand in the ICC T-20 World Cup. With only two teams going through to the second round, Afghanistan are in the box seat in the group having won both their games by big margins and whoever loses on Wednesday is facing elimination from the competition.
New Zealand in particular will be under the pump having lost their opening game to Afghanistan. They are placed last in the group and their Net Run Rate of -4.20 could come to haunt them.
West Indies, meanwhile, have two wins in two games, but those wins have come against PNG and Uganda.
Whoever wins the New Zealand – West Indies game boost their chances of progressing to the next round and hence this becomes sort of a knockout game.
New Zealand’s batting got into a hole and that will be one area they will be addressing. Their struggle against spin was really worrying and in Akeal Hosein, West Indies have a fine match winner.
West Indies along with England are the only teams to have won the T-20 World Cup twice, but in recent events they have been well below par and failed to go beyond the qualifiers last time around in Australia.
West Indies fans will be hoping their team will turn things around playing in familiar conditions. West Indies have all bases covered as well and their players have lot of experience having taken part in quite of franchise competitions. Qualifying for the Super Eight stage will be their first priority.
New Zealand will be hoping they will turn things around. The opening game was a shocker for them and they are a side that’s capable of putting up a far better show than what they eventually did.
US hasn’t been batting friendly conditions with most games being low scoring affairs. Caribbean is expected to be different. This will be Trinidad’s first game. The venue will host five games in this World Cup including a semi-final.
