PROVIDENCE, Guyana (AFP)— West Indies captain Rovman Powell won the toss and opted to bowl first against Papua New Guinea in the opening Group C match of the T20 World Cup at the Guyana National Stadium on Sunday.

Despite a green-tinged pitch the two-time former champions have opted for three spinners – Roston Chase, Akeil Hosein and Gudakesh Motie – in their final 11 at the start of a campaign in which they seek to become the first hosts to lift the T20 World Cup.

PNG, who stunned Zimbabwe on an unbeaten run to qualify for their second T20 World Cup appearance, are again reliant on their most experienced players – captain Assad Vala and fellow top-order batters Tony Ura and Lega Siaka – to post a challenging total.

Their only previous meeting in an official international fixture was at the 2018 qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe for the 2019 50-over-side World Cup where then captain Jason Holder’s unbeaten 99 guided West Indies to a six-wicket win in Harare.

Teams: West Indies – Rovman Powell (captain), Brandon King, Johnson Charles, Nicholas Pooran, Roston Chase, Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie

Papua New Guinea – Assad Vala (captain), Tony Ura, Lega Siaka, Sese Bau, Hiri Hiri, Charles Amini, Kiplin Doriga, Alei Nao, Chad Soper, Kabua Morea, John Kariko

Umpires: Adrian Holdstock (RSA), Rashid Riaz (PAK)

TV Umpire: Ahsan Raza (PAK)

Match Referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)