Cricket

Trent Rockets' Rovman Powell propelled his team to a thrilling six-wicket victory over Oval Invincibles at Trent Bridge, keeping their hopes of reaching the Hundred final alive.The Invincibles, who had been on the cusp of securing a spot in Sunday's final at Lord's, were denied by Powell's explosive hitting. Despite their loss, they remain favorites to advance directly to the final as group winners. However, Birmingham Phoenix could overtake them on net run-rate with a substantial victory over Manchester Originals on Thursday.Invincibles captain Sam Billings acknowledged the Rockets' strength, stating that their season could have been different. He emphasized the importance of adapting to different conditions, as the Oval played differently from Lord's.Powell joined Tom Alsop at the crease with the Rockets needing 95 runs from 52 balls and three wickets down. The duo formed an 80-run partnership in just 32 balls, propelling the Rockets towards the Invincibles' total of 150.Powell's pyrotechnics included four sixes, one of which traveled 101 meters off Sam Curran's bowling. However, Curran eventually induced Powell to miscue a lofted drive to long-on.Despite Powell's dismissal, Alsop and Chris Green guided the Rockets to victory with six balls to spare.The Invincibles had earlier posted a competitive 150 for 3, thanks to Dawid Malan's composed half-century and contributions from Will Jacks and Jordan Cox.Saqib Mahmood bowled with pace and hostility for the Rockets, accounting for Tom Banton. Alex Hales and Joe Root provided a recovery, but their dismissals gave the Invincibles hope.However, Powell and Alsop's heroics ensured that the Rockets kept their playoff hopes alive.

West Indies' T20 World Cup 2024 campaign ended in disappointment with a defeat to South Africa in Antigua, but captain Rovman Powell remained upbeat about the team's progress over the past year."We haven't won the World Cup, but the cricket we have played in the last 12 months or so is commendable," Powell said. "We've moved from number 9 to number 3 in the world, which is tremendous work."Powell acknowledged that the team's batting performance against South Africa was one they would like to forget, but he praised their bowling effort. "We lost wickets in clusters in the middle overs, which broke the back of our batting," he said. "But our bowlers gave it their all, and we believed we could win even with only 135 on the board."Despite the defeat, Powell believes the team is heading in the right direction. "There's a lot of buzz around the Caribbean again about West Indies cricket," he said. "We've done some very good things over the last 12 months, and we need to continue to work as a group and climb the rankings."Powell also expressed his gratitude for the support the team received during the home World Cup. "It's been fantastic," he said. "It's good to see that some buzz is back in the Caribbean for cricket. Now, when we hear the anthem play, as players we feel something. I think that is heading in the right direction."

West Indies captain Rovman Powell has opted to bowl first in their crucial match against the United States in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier. Powell believes the wicket will favor early bowling, giving his team an advantage in chasing down the target.Despite their recent struggles, Powell remains confident in his team's batting prowess. He emphasized the importance of individual batters stepping up and delivering big performances. The West Indies have made two changes to their lineup, bringing in Obed McCoy and Shai Hope for Romario Shepherd and Brandon King.Meanwhile, the United States faces a challenge in their batting department. Corey Anderson, who was expected to play a pivotal role, has yet to make a significant impact. His absence at the top of the order puts added pressure on Steven Taylor to provide a solid start.The West Indies will look to exploit the new ball and restrict the US batters. Their bowling attack, led by Alzarri Joseph and Gudakesh Motie, will be crucial in containing the opposition's scoring.The match is a must-win for both teams, as they aim to secure a spot in the semifinals. The West Indies still have their destiny in their own hands, but they need to play two strong games to advance.

West Indies and Afghanistan Clash in Battle of UnbeatensGros Islet, St. Lucia - The highly anticipated clash between West Indies and Afghanistan on Tuesday promises to be a thrilling encounter, despite having no bearing on the Super Eight standings. Both teams have enjoyed unbeaten runs thus far, and they will be eager to maintain their momentum heading into the crucial knockout stages.West Indies, known for their explosive batting lineup, will be led by Rovman Powell, who has yet to fully ignite in this tournament. However, the presence of Nicholas Pooran, Brandon King, and Andre Russell provides the hosts with a formidable batting arsenal. Their bowling attack, anchored by Akeal Hosein and Alzarri Joseph, has also been impressive.Afghanistan, on the other hand, will rely heavily on their spin wizard Rashid Khan, who has been in excellent form with six wickets in the middle overs. Their batting lineup, led by Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, has also shown promise.The pitch at Gros Islet has been conducive to high-scoring matches, with teams preferring to bowl first after winning the toss. However, the windy conditions could play a factor in the game.West Indies will be looking to maintain their impressive death-over run rate, while Afghanistan will aim to continue their frugal spin bowling. The match-up between Gurbaz and West Indies' left-arm spinners, Hosein and Gudakesh Motie, will be particularly intriguing.Both teams are expected to field unchanged lineups, with Johnson Charles and Shai Hope vying for a spot in the West Indies batting order. Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott has emphasized the importance of keeping his players motivated despite the lack of qualification implications.With both teams eager to prove their mettle and build confidence for the Super Eight, the West Indies vs Afghanistan clash promises to be an entertaining and competitive affair.

West Indies captain Rovman Powell believes his team has an advantage over an "undercooked" New Zealand side in their upcoming World Cup Group C clash. Both teams have faced disrupted preparations due to heavy rain and poor practice facilities at the Brian Lara Stadium.New Zealand's afternoon training session was cut short due to slippery practice strips, while West Indies' floodlit session was canceled altogether. The rainy season in Trinidad has brought adverse weather alerts, with thunderstorms likely.Powell sees this as an opportunity for West Indies to exploit New Zealand's lack of preparation. "If there's a good time to play New Zealand, I think it's now," he said. "They're a little bit undercooked. The pressure is really on them."New Zealand coach Gary Stead acknowledged the challenges his team has faced. "The practice wickets got wet out in the middle," he said. "The balls were going through the top of the surface, so we had a good fielding training instead."New Zealand's batters have struggled to face fast bowling in the nets due to the limited preparation. Stead expects a low-scoring game on Wednesday, unlike England's 267-run total at the same venue in December.Powell also hinted at a low-scoring match, citing the impact of rain on wicket preparation. "With the rain around, that can play a part in the scores," he said.New Zealand is expected to make changes to their lineup, with Ish Sodhi and James Neesham potential inclusions. Stead emphasized the importance of matching up well against West Indies' weaknesses.Despite their poor start, New Zealand needs to win their remaining three matches to qualify for the Super 8s. "We know what's in front of us: we have to win three games and win them well," Stead said. "We know things are stacked against us at the moment, but that's the challenge."

After two disappointing T20 World Cups, West Indies are determined to redeem themselves in this year's edition, which they co-host. Nicholas Pooran, the former captain, believes the squad is hungry to recapture the glory they experienced when they won the title in 2012 and 2016."We want to get that special feeling we had when we won those two T20 World Cups," Pooran said. "Everybody wants to be a part of that winning feeling. Doing it in front of our fans is even more special."Despite their recent struggles, Pooran is confident that the team has grown and matured since their disappointing performance in Australia last year. "We all have grown as players, as team-mates as well," he said. "We are much better players as well. Most of our guys that play franchise cricket, they understand what is needed to be a professional as well."Pooran was impressed with the team's performance in the recent T20I series against South Africa, which they won 3-0 despite the absence of several senior players. "You saw the performances, you saw that guys are fighting and that's really important," he said. "We may win, we may not win, but what's more important for me, as a senior player as well, is that we need to give it 100% on and off the field."West Indies have a formidable batting lineup, with Pooran, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Shimron Hetmyer, Sherfane Rutherford, and Romario Shepherd all capable of match-winning performances. Russell, in particular, is in top form after helping Kolkata Knight Riders win the IPL title."He's a winner. He wins T20 games," Pooran said of Russell. "He wins tournaments and whenever you have that experience in the dressing room, it helps a lot, especially in a World Cup. Experience is key."Pooran also highlighted the presence of other match-winners in the team, such as Powell, Hetmyer, Rutherford, and Shepherd. "We have numerous match-winners on our team," he said. "That's what you want."With the tournament being played in their own backyard, West Indies will be eager to make a statement and prove that they are still a force to be reckoned with in T20 cricket.

West Indies' blistering batting display, led by Nicholas Pooran and Rovman Powell, propelled them to a commanding 35-run victory over Australia in their final T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up match in Trinidad.Pooran, the left-handed opener, unleashed a whirlwind 75 off just 25 balls, smashing three sixes in his first three deliveries. Powell, the skipper, followed suit with a belligerent 52 off 25, as the duo combined for 12 sixes. Sherfane Rutherford's unbeaten 47 off 18 balls added to the carnage, propelling West Indies to a formidable 257 for 4.Australia, fielding a depleted team with only nine players and coaches as sub fielders, struggled to contain the West Indies onslaught. Ashton Agar and Adam Zampa, Australia's main spinners, were particularly punished, conceding 120 runs from their combined eight overs.In reply, Australia's Josh Inglis struck a valiant 55 off 30 balls, but the absence of a full complement of batters proved insurmountable. Nathan Ellis, who had impressed against Namibia, continued his strong form, conceding 42 from his four overs.Gudakesh Motie stifled Australia's middle order, claiming the wickets of Inglis and David to finish with 2 for 31. Ellis and Zampa added some respectability to the total with a 51-run seventh-wicket stand, but Australia fell well short of the target, finishing on 222 for 7.This victory serves as a timely confidence boost for West Indies ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024, while Australia will be eager to regroup and address their batting concerns before the tournament begins.

Legendary fast-bowler Curtly Ambrose believes the Rovman Powell-led co-hosts West Indies have a formidable squad capable of capturing an unprecedented third ICC Men's T20 World Cup title when the tournament commences on June 1.West Indies have etched their name in history as two-time T20 World Cup champions, triumphing in 2012 and 2016. However, their recent performances in the tournament have been lackluster. In 2021, under Kieron Pollard's leadership, they failed to advance to the knockout stage, winning only one match in the group phase.A year later, with Nicholas Pooran at the helm in Australia, they were unable to qualify for the Super ten stage. West Indies also missed out on the 2023 Men's ODI World Cup in India after failing to secure a top-two finish in the qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe.Despite these setbacks, West Indies have shown encouraging form in T20Is, registering series victories over South Africa, India, and England at home in the past 14 months. Ambrose believes this recent success bodes well for their chances in the upcoming World Cup."We have a very, very good team," Ambrose said. "As we speak, they are in Antigua at a camp preparing themselves for the start of the T20 World Cup, which is a couple of weeks away.""I believe once the guys start playing consistent cricket and smart cricket, I believe we can take the trophy. It is not going to be easy, but we are one of only two nations to have won it twice, so we are going to try and make it three. And no other nation has ever won it on home soil, so all that is motivation for the guys to do well, and I am hoping they can do it."West Indies are placed in Group C of the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup and will face Papua New Guinea in their opening match in Guyana on June 2. They will then play against Uganda, New Zealand, and Afghanistan in their remaining group stage games.Ambrose anticipates some unexpected results at the upcoming tournament due to the abundance of talented players across all teams. "I admire a lot of cricketers (at the T20 World Cup), and I am looking forward to them doing well," he said."As a proud Antiguan and being from the West Indies, I want the West Indies to win. It is not going to be easy because in T20 cricket, every team has an equal chance of beating any other team, and that is just the nature of T20 cricket. It is going to be exciting, but I am going to be rooting for the West Indies."

West Indies have unveiled their 15-man squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup, with Shimron Hetmyer making a notable return and Shamar Joseph receiving a surprise call-up.Hetmyer, who famously missed his flight to the 2022 T20 World Cup, has been recalled to the fold after a strong showing in domestic cricket. The left-handed batsman has been in impressive form for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), averaging over 40 with a strike rate of 140.Another notable inclusion is Joseph, a 24-year-old fast bowler who has played only three T20s for West Indies. However, his stunning seven-wicket haul in the historic Test win at the Gabba against Australia has caught the attention of selectors.Alzarri Joseph has been named deputy to captain Rovman Powell, while Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, and Jason Holder are all included in the squad.West Indies head coach Daren Sammy confirmed that Sunil Narine was considered for selection but is unavailable due to his retirement from international cricket. Sammy also stated that CWI has requested the BCCI to release West Indies players from the ongoing IPL as soon as possible.West Indies are placed in Group C alongside Papua New Guinea (PNG), Uganda, New Zealand, and Afghanistan. Their first two matches will be played in Providence, Guyana, against PNG on June 2 and Uganda on June 8. They will then face New Zealand at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad on June 12, before their final group game against Afghanistan on June 17 in St Lucia.