Who: West Indies vs England
What: ICC T20 World Cup Super Eight Group 2
When: Wednesday, June 19, 8:30pm local time (00:30 GMT, June 20)
Where: Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Gros Islet, Saint Lucia

Reece Topley, England's fast bowler, anticipates an intense atmosphere at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground when the leading Twenty20 (T20) teams clash in their Super Eight match on Wednesday.

Current champions England, who have won twice, have hit their stride entering this stage of the competition, while host nation and fellow two-time champions West Indies are undefeated. Given the enthusiastic local supporters and the loud English fans, the match is set to take place in a charged environment.

“The West Indies will look to rally their supporters and create an electrifying atmosphere tomorrow night,” Topley said during his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

The pacer anticipates that the pitch will favor batsmen but will be competitive for both teams.

“So far, the pitches have assisted the bowlers, so it might be time for a tough game for them [bowlers],” he added.

Although the hosts are the crowd's favorites and are in excellent form, Topley assures that England is ready to showcase their style of “good cricket”.

“Wednesday night should witness a thrilling game,” he commented.

West Indies captain Rovman Powell believes their familiarity with England, due to frequent T20 encounters, will play a significant role. Powell insists that the match will be about maintaining dominance once established.

“They know us well, and we know them well,” Powell said on Tuesday.

Powell lauded spinner Akael Hosein, who has claimed nine wickets in the tournament so far, as a crucial player, particularly for controlling the game's beginning.

“He’s been performing not just for the World Cup, but even before, and we hope he continues.”

Batsman Nicholas Pooran, known for his power-hitting, currently ranks second in the tournament’s run-scoring charts, with a notable 53-ball-98 performance against Afghanistan.

“As seen from Nicholas Pooran's innings, it's tough to devise plans to stop a well-set good batsman on a good pitch,” Powell remarked.

Nicholas Pooran is in some very powerful company!💪🏾

The top 5️⃣ players with the most sixes for the #MenInMaroon🔥 #WIREADY | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/GO7iSFlt99

— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) June 18, 2024

Head-to-head

In their 29 meetings in T20 cricket, West Indies lead with 17 wins against England’s 12.

Pitch condition

The Saint Lucia pitch has yielded high scores during the tournament and is expected to favor batsmen.

Weather forecast

Wind conditions may influence the game, and both teams are expected to leverage this while batting and bowling. The weather is anticipated to be humid with scattered clouds and a low probability of evening rain.

Form guide

West Indies enter the Super Eights with an unblemished record, having won all their group matches at home. They appear confident in front of their home audience in Saint Lucia.

England, nearly facing elimination, found their form in their last three group games. They hope to maintain this momentum in the remainder of the tournament.

West Indies: W W W W W
England: W W W L W

West Indies team news

West Indies have been dominant throughout and are unlikely to alter the team that defeated Afghanistan.

Squad: Rovman Powell (captain), Alzarri Joseph, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd

England team news

England is expected to retain the same XI that secured crucial wins in the last two group matches.

Squad: Jos Buttler (captain), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood