West Indies, South Africa stay perfect at T20 World Cup

Co-hosts West Indies have cruised to a second T20 World Cup victory as they handed Uganda an unwanted place in the record books

Chasing an unlikely 174 for victory in Guyana on Saturday, tournament debutants Uganda were shot out for 39 in 12 overs as Akeal Hosein grabbed 5-11.

It equalled the lowest score in T20 World Cup history, matching the Netherlands’ total against Sri Lanka in 2014.

“I think I needed this,” Hosein said.

“In the nets and in the previous series I felt like the ball was coming out of my hand good, I think I was doing everything right in the nets but I just wasn’t getting the rewards.

“I knew I just had to stay calm and it would be my turn soon.”

Earlier, South Africa also made it two wins from two with a nervy four-wicket victory over Netherlands.

Opener Johnson Charles gave the West Indies innings early impetus, hitting two sixes and four fours in his 44 from 42 balls.

Nicholas Pooran cleared the ropes three times as he hammered 22 from 17 deliveries, captain Rovman Powell making 23 from 18 and Sherfane Rutherford 22 from 16.

A late cameo from Andre Russell took West Indies to 5-173 as he hit six fours in his 30 not out from 17 balls.

Hosein trapped opener Roger Mukasa lbw off the second ball of the innings, starting a steady stream of wickets as only two batsmen faced 10 balls or more.

At 8-25 in the eighth over, Uganda looked in danger of breaking the record for the lowest score before Juma Miyagi (13 from 20 balls) offered some late resistance.

West Indies join Afghanistan at the top of their pool with two wins and face New Zealand in Trinidad on Wednesday night.

At the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, South Africa’s Ottniel Baartman produced impressive figures of 4-11 to help restrict the Dutch to 9-103.

But it looked a tricky total when South Africa were reduced to 4-12.
A 65-run partnership between Tristan Stubbs and David Miller swung the pendulum back in the Proteas’ favour before Miller got his team over the line with a classy unbeaten 59.

South Africa had dismissed Sri Lanka for 77 on the controversial drop-in pitch in New York on Monday and set about in a similar vein when Netherlands collapsed to 4-32.

Marco Jansen and Anrich Nortje did the bulk of the early damage with two scalps each, but Baartman soon took centre stage.

After his first three overs went for only 10 runs, the international newcomer finished off with a three-wicket over, which included Sybrand Engelbrecht for a patient 40.

Engelbrecht’s 45-ball knock helped Netherlands post what looked a winnable score when Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram were dismissed for ducks.

At 4-12, South Africa needed a partnership to avoid a third consecutive World Cup defeat to Netherlands and it was delivered by Stubbs and Miller.

Stubbs’ dismissal by Bas de Leede sparked a tense finale, but three sixes in quick succession from Miller edged South Africa home with seven balls to spare.

Source: Australian Associated Press

--Agencies