"We don't want to take any team lightly in the World Cup": Roston Chase after win over PNG

Guyana [West Indies], June 3 (ANI): West Indies all-rounder Roston Chase stated that the co-hosts won't undermine any side and would stick to their style even against teams that don't carry the high-profile tag after WI started their 2024 T20 World Cup campaign with a victory by five wickets against Papua New Guinea. Chase produced a match-saving 42*-run knock for West Indies against Papua New Guinea in the second game of the T20 World Cup at the Providence Stadium, Guyana.

PNG gave the Caribbean side a run for their money while defending 137. The hard-hitting Men in Maroon stood on the verge of facing an upset, but Chase salvaged a victory from the jaws of defeat. The co-hosts struggled to rotate the strike and relied on finding the fence to keep the asking rate in check. After the game, Chase affirmed that the West Indies won't take any team lightly and would play as they would against the top teams like India or Australia.

"They're not an A-List team but we don't want to take any team lightly in the World Cup. We came out with the mentality that we were playing Australia or India. We started slowly but we had a chat at the halfway stage and the guys just wanted to rally and put the best foot forward," Chase said in the post-match presentation.

With the asking rate climbing up to more than a ten an over, Chase and Andre Russell produced a boundary fest to steer West Indies to victory. Chase was the driving force for the Caribbean team. He took away the match with his clinical hitting at the end and rotated the strike, which was missing throughout their innings. He reflected on the efforts that he put in the preparation camp to refine his skills and bring in the much-needed confidence in the low-scoring affair.

"Very pleased to start the tournament with a win and to take the team over the line. I knew that it was hard for the batters coming in, gave myself time and backed my skills. I watched the PNG batters, they took their time and once they got in it was easy to score. I have worked hard, had a preparation camp in Antigua and brought that confidence into the game," Chase added.

His 42*-run blitz helped West Indies chase down a 137-run total with an over to spare. After clinching a five-wicket win and kicking off their campaign on a winning note, West Indies will face Uganda on June 9 at the Providence Stadium. (ANI)