T20 World Cup 2024: Akeal Hosein's fifer helps West Indies win by 134-run over Uganda

West Indies` Akeal Hosein bowls against Uganda during an ICC Men`s T20 World Cup cricket match at Guyana National Stadium in Providence, Guyana. Pic/AFP

West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein showcased his exceptional skills by registering a fifer. With this, West Indies defeated Uganda by 134 runs in the T20 World Cup 2024 match in Guyana. During his spell, Hosein conceded just 11 runs in the T20 World Cup 2024 match against Uganda. Brian Masaba-led side was bowled out for 39 runs in 12 overs. With this, they registered their name for the unwanted record of the joint-lowest total in the T20 World Cup.

Batting first in the T20 World Cup 2024 match in Guyana, Johnson Charles smashed 44 runs and was the top scorer for the Caribbean side. Star all-rounder Andre Russell's late heroics of unbeaten 30 runs helped West Indies to post 173 runs on board.

The victory against Uganda boosted the hosts' net run rate to 3.574 which will help their team to finish in the top two spot in Group C. "It gets tougher from here but we understand conditions and cricket is not easy in the Caribbean," West Indies skipper Rovman Powel said after the match.

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"We talk about improving 10-15 percent every match. Last game, we were flat so we just wanted to improve as a team. When you are playing at home, the pressure can sometimes get to you. So, a little bit of rust (in the first match). We started off at 60, now up to 70-80 percent," he added. The gulf between the two sides was evident when the West Indies bowlers were operating. "Tough day for us. It is a very steep learning curve. Just shows the difference in class. We were outplayed but we must take the learnings from it: as a batting unit, what we can do better to keep us in the game," Uganda captain Masaba said. "There were some positives in that bowling performance. To keep them under 200 stood out. The way we bowled at the death, that was very impressive. Hopefully we can build on that." As was the case in their previous two games, Uganda's top order fell like ninepins with half the side back in the dugout inside the Powerplay.

Opening the innings, Hosein dismissed Roger Mukasa on the very second ball. Later, he picked the wicket of Alpesh Amjani in the third over. Riazar Ali became his third victim.

"I needed this. In the nets and in the previous series, I felt the ball was coming out good but I was just not getting the rewards," player of the match Hosein said.

To complete a fifer, Hosein bagged two more wickets in his last over. With this, he also became the West Indian to register the best figures at the T20 World Cup. "It is a lot of hard work. When you get success, guys are going to study you and have a plan. You always have to stay a step ahead. For me, it is just about trying to react to what the surface is doing and planning it out," Hosein said.

But left-arm spinner Alpesh Ramjani cleaned up King to provide Uganda with their first breakthrough. New batter Nicholas Pooran (22) took a couple of deliveries to settle in before going down on one knee, launching the ball high over deep mid-wicket for a maximum. Charles and Pooran continued to hit the maximums every over before Uganda skipper Brian Masaba (2/31) cut short the latter's stay by completing a caught and bowled. Masaba and off-spinner Frank Nsubuga (0/29) bowled with control and discipline as Uganda kept striking at regular intervals, deflating West Indies' momentum. The Ugandans bowled 53 dot balls. Charles, who was struggling to get the big shots, was next to go as he sent the ball straight to Ramjani at long-on. Shane Rutherford (22) smacked a six and a boundary in the next two overs before Masaba got his counterpart in the 16th over after Powell failed to get the desired elevation. The big-hitting Russell then sent the ball to the fence six times to help West Indies add 49 runs in the last five overs.

(With PTI Inputs)