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• 'Every team is as strong as any other team': Chase warns against underestimating opponents as Windies eyes Uganda clash

  Much like West Indies Head coach Darren Sammy did recently, all-rounder Roston Chase stressed the need for the Caribbean side to not only up their game, but to also remain grounded as they prepare to face newcomers Uganda in their second ICC Men’s T20 World Cup encounter on Saturday.

  Chase, who posted an unbeaten 27-ball 42 which propelled West Indies to a five-wicket win over Papua New Guinea in their Group C opener last week, concurred with Sammy that the win was too close for comfort, as they surpassed their target with a solitary over to spare.

  Sammy in that post-game assessment, warned his team against complacency against perceived lesser opponents, especially given the number of upsets in the tournament so far, the latest of which came on Friday when Afghanistan hammered New Zealand by 80 runs.

  As such, Afghanistan head Group C standings on four points, two ahead of West Indies and Uganda on two points each, with New Zealand and Papua New Guinea yet to get on the board. Uganda also bettered Papua New Guinea in a low-scoring affair.

  With that in mind, Chase is well aware that West Indies will require a more efficient execution under the lights at the Guyana National Stadium, as Uganda has nothing to lose heading into the encounter.

  “I just think that it’s a World Cup, so you can’t underestimate any team. Every team is as strong as any other team – but I just think for us, it’s a case where we have to improve our dot-ball percentage, especially in the middle overs,” he told journalists during a pre-match news conference on the eve of the game.

  

  “I mean, the pitch is a difficult one that we played on in the first game, so I think it’s a case where we just need to not panic too quickly – just try to stabilise the middle overs, because we have a lot of power in the back end to kind of make up for it. So it’s just a case where we just need to get a few more singles, and turns ones into twos, and stuff like that, and then just launch in the back end,” he added.

  Though not as explosive like some of his teammates where boundary hitting is concerned, Chase, 32, has adjusted well to his role in the team –to be a stabilizing force, if and when called upon.

  Prior to the global spectacle, Chase showcased his immense growth as a T20 batsman, with scores of 74 and 33 against Nepal, followed by unbeaten knocks of 67 and 32 in the warm-up sweep of South Africa.

  “In my cricketing career, I’ve always been one to get some hard tasks, so I really cherish the opportunity and the experiences. I mean, obviously, it’s good to go out there and get an easy job, but I think that your teammates, coaches and especially the fans, I think they rate you more and they appreciate you more when you come through these hard times,” Chase reasoned.

  “So I am just always looking to do good even when the pressure is on. I know that once I come out on top, people love me. Once I’m doing what is required for the team, and doing it well, I am happy with that,” the Barbadian noted.

  That said, Chase pointed to his unwavering determination to chart his own legacy in the format, as many have likened his role in the team to that of former Jamaican stalwart and batting all-rounder Marlon Samuels, who was instrumental to West Indies’ T20 World Cup triumphs in 2012 and 2016.

  “There could only be one Marlon Samuels and one Roston Chase,” Chase declared.

  “I mean, if people want to call it the Marlon Samuels role, I have no problem with that. He’s won two world titles playing that role and being the Man-of-the-Match in two of the finals. So, I have no problem with that tag, but I’m my own player,” he ended.

   

• ICC moves to remedy situation with drop-in pitches at ongoing T20 World Cup

  he International Cricket Council (ICC) has promised ground staff will try to “remedy” ongoing problems with the drop-in pitches at its showcase ground in New York.

  Cricket’s world governing body publicly acknowledged for the first time since the T20 World Cup began that there have been teething issues with the surfaces.

  While players and coaches have so far refused to criticise the pitches at the venue, BBC Sport understands India has privately voiced their unhappiness with the unpredictable bounce and two-paced nature of the strips in Eisenhower Park amid worries over the safety of their batters.

  “The ICC recognise that the pitches used so far at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium have not played as consistently as we would have all wanted,” the ICC said in a statement.

  “The world-class grounds team have been working hard since the conclusion of yesterday’s game to remedy the situation and deliver the best possible surfaces for the remaining matches.”

  Concerns have grown over the unpredictable nature of surfaces after the first two fixtures played at the venue.

   

  On Monday, Sri Lanka were bowled out by South Africa for 77 – their lowest score in T20s – while India dismissed Ireland for 96 on Wednesday.

  India play Pakistan on Sunday at the venue in Eisenhower Park in one of the most eagerly-anticipated fixtures of the tournament with a capacity crowd of 32,000 expected.

  ICC officials have maintained there are no contingency plans in place to switch any of the New York games to venues in Florida or Texas, both of which have natural turf strips.

  The US is staging 16 of the 55 matches at the T20 World Cup, which it is co-hosting with the West Indies.

  The pop-up stadium in New York cost $32 million to construct and was built inside eight months to much fanfare from the tournament organisers.

  Six of the trays which transported the soil for the 10 Tahoma grass surfaces came from Australia before being shipped to Florida where the pitches were cultivated.

  The soil variety has a high clay content, similar to the pitches in Adelaide.

  They were then transported to New York by road and installed a few weeks before the tournament began.

  The outfield is made up of Kentucky bluegrass, grown at a farm in New Jersey, on top of sand.

  There was discontent with the pitch after Monday’s opening match in which South Africa were able to stroll to their victory target against Sri Lanka with 22 deliveries remaining, while India had 46 balls left when they hit the winning runs in another low-scoring match against Ireland.

  It has meant the toss in New York has become pivotal in determining the outcome of the match, with the team bowling first at an advantage.

  Batters have had to fend off short-pitched bowling, with balls climbing off a length while others skid along at ankle height through to the wicketkeeper.

  A clear diagnosis for the problems has not yet been identified.

  Similarly, the sizes of the boundaries – 75m and 65m on each side, and 71m straight – and slow outfield have inhibited run scoring with the boundary ropes unable to be pulled in because of ICC tournament guidelines.

  As a result, the cricket spectacle delivered by both games so far has been largely underwhelming.

  India fans were even cheering for Ireland at one point during their eight-wicket win, hoping the length of the game would be extended so they could see more of their team batting in the second innings.

  Concerns have also been raised about the six pitches laid at the net training facility in nearby Cantiague Park.

  Earlier this week, South Africa’s batters opted for throw downs as opposed to facing their own bowlers, and local net bowlers, because of injury worries.

• Afghanistan brush aside sorry New Zealand, Bangladesh see off Sri Lanka in World Cup

  Afghanistan's strong start to the T20 World Cup continued on Friday as they dismantled New Zealand with an 84-run victory in Guyana.

  It is now two wins in two for Afghanistan, who enjoyed another impressive opening stand as Rahmanullah Gurbaz plundered 80 off 56 balls, including five fours and five boundaries, with Ibrahim Zardan adding 44.

  Azmatullah Omarzai's dismissal for 22 saw Afghanistan stumble, but with a respectable 159-6, it was always going to be hard for New Zealand to chase.

  The 2021 runners-up could not find their footing, with only two of their players reaching double figures – Glenn Phillips top-scored with 18.

  They stumbled to 75 all out in just 15.2 overs, suffering their first T20 international defeat to Afghanistan, and they drop to the bottom of Group C.

  Elsewhere, Bangladesh survived a scare to make a winning start to their campaign, getting a two-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in Dallas.

  Pathum Nissanka impressed with 47 off just 28 balls, but a flurry of late wickets saw Sri Lanka stumble to 124-9 after a strong start.

  Bangladesh’s chase started poorly, with both openers being dismissed in the first two overs. However, after Towhid Hridoy's 40, and Liton Das' 36, Mahmudullah's 16 not out helped them over the line at the end of the 19th over.

  Data Debrief: Dominant Afghanistan strike again

  Afghanistan have opened an ICC Men's T20 World Cup campaign with back-to-back wins for just the second time, last doing so in 2016. They have now won their last four T20Is, their longest streak since 2022. 

  Gurbaz hit 50 for the second game in a row, improving on his 76 runs in their win over Uganada with 80 in this win.