Aditya ChaudhuriAs the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup kicks off, we have not one but two games on Day 1 to kick things off.
Both the tournament hosts, the West Indies and the US, are starting off the proceedings, and here are my predictions for their matches.
Also read: ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup 2024 Sponsors
Match 1: USA vs Canada | 06:00 IST, June 2
The opening game of the 2024 T20 World Cup sees the US take on neighbours Canada.
Fresh off their historic T20I series win against Bangladesh, the US will be high on confidence as they take on Canada, going into the game having won four out of their last five games. Canada, on the other hand, have lost four of their last five games, with one game having been abandoned.
Canada recently toured the US last month and, apart from the one abandoned game, the US cleaned up the five-match T20I series 4-0, winning all the games in a comprehensive manner.
The experienced Corey Anderson, formerly a New Zealand international, gives the US squad a big boost. The all-rounder’s form is going to be crucial for the hosts’ WC campaign.
Venue: Grand Prairie Stadium, Grand Prairie, Texas
Winner prediction: USA
Match 2: West Indies vs Papua New Guinea | 20:00 IST, June 2
The Windies face Papua New Guinea in their campaign opener, the two-time T20 World Cup champions being the overwhelming favourites to start with a win.
New WI captain Rovman Powell will have a bolstered squad at his disposal, with recent Indian Premier League winner Andre Russell back in the set-up having shown glimpses of how he can change games with the bat and/or ball within moments.
The West Indies come into the World Cup following a 3-0 drubbing of South Africa, with Brandon King and Roston Chase having had a strong series. Prior to the South Africa series, they were in Australia for a three-match T20I series where Russell starred albeit in a losing cause.
PNG, on the other hand, last played an official match in March when they travelled to Malaysia and drew the two-match T20I series 1-1. They will be looking up to the likes of Charles Amini, Tony Ura, and captain Assad Vala for a respectable campaign.
Venue: Providence Stadium, Georgetown, Guyana
Winner prediction: West Indies
