T20 World Cup: Group C preview including players to watch

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The ninth edition of the Men's T20 World Cup is now just days away.

BBC Sport has partnered with data analysts CricViz to preview each of the 20 sides in the initial group stage.

We've split each of the four groups into its own preview and looked at how each side is shaping up ahead of the tournament and CricViz have picked out a key batter and bowler.

Here's Group C, which features Afghanistan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Uganda and West Indies.

Afghanistan

ICC T20 world ranking: 10th

T20 World Cup appearances: Six

Best T20 World Cup performance: Round two (2016, 2021 & 2022)

Captain: Rashid Khan

Head coach: Jonathan Trott

Form (most recent last): LWLWW

Group fixtures (all times BST): Uganda (4 June, 01:30), New Zealand (8 June, 00:30), Papua New Guinea (14 June, 01:30) & West Indies (18 June, 01:30)

Batter to watch: Rahmanullah Gurbaz

Dynamic opening batter Gurbaz has been plying his trade in various franchise leagues across the globe, including the Indian Premier League (IPL), Major League Cricket (MLC) and ILT20.

In the powerplay he will look to take on seam bowlers down the ground and pounce on any bowlers who overpitch.

Since the end of the last World Cup, Gurbaz has more than double the number of runs than any other Afghanistan batter (1,504) and achieved this at a strike-rate of 143.

Bowler to watch: Rashid Khan

Widely regarded as the best T20 bowler operating today, Rashid's skills are in high demand across T20 franchise leagues globally.

His brand of fast and direct mystery spin has been puzzling batters over his nine-year international career.

Across this World Cup cycle, his wickets have come at an average of just below 20 and at a miserly economy rate under seven.

No bowler has taken more T20 wickets this decade than him either.

New Zealand

ICC T20 world ranking: Fifth

T20 World Cup appearances: Eight

Best T20 World Cup performance: Semi-finalists (2007, 2016 & 2022)

Captain: Kane Williamson

Head coach: Gary Stead

Form (most recent last): LLWWL

Group fixtures (all times BST): Afghanistan (8 June, 00:30), West Indies (13 June, 01:30), Uganda (15 June, 01:30) & Papua New Guinea (17 June, 15:30)

Batter to watch: Finn Allen

The right-hander's boundary-hitting ability in the first half of the innings is phenomenal and will be key in providing the platform to build big totals.

His powerplay strike-rate of 149 in this World Cup cycle is among the highest of any player in T20 history.

He will need to combine his raw power with maturity to turn those cameos into meaningful totals.

Bowler to watch: Mitch Santner

Left-arm spinner Santner has a phenomenal record in the Caribbean, averaging under 17 with the ball at an economy of 5.5. In no other geographical area in the world does he have a better bowling record.

His ability to subtly change his speed, flight and trajectory will make him tricky to face on potentially helpful tracks.

With the hit-and-miss Ish Sodhi providing the high variance leg-spin for the Kiwis, Santner has to offer reliability and wicket-taking threat.

Papua New Guinea

ICC T20 world ranking: 20th

T20 World Cup appearances: One

Best T20 World Cup performance: Round one (2021)

Captain: Assadollah Vala

Head coach: Tatenda Taibu

Form (most recent last): WWWLL

Group fixtures (all times BST): West Indies (2 June, 15:30), Uganda (6 June, 00:30), Afghanistan (14 June, 01:30) & New Zealand (17 June, 15:30)

Batter to watch: Tony Ura

Right-hander Ura is the backbone of the Papua New Guinea team. Opening the batting, Ura is the leading run-scorer since the last World Cup and for his country overall in this format.

His runs also come quickly - his strike-rate of 151 in this cycle is the highest of any PNG batter to face more than 50 balls.

He strikes at over 150 against both pace and spin, and loves a flying start, striking at 166 in the powerplay.

He's the only PNG batter to have a century in international T20s.

Bowler to watch: Charles Amini

The leg-spinner has a crucial role as the main spinner in a side which has generally been very pace heavy.

Since the last World Cup, Amini has bowled comfortably more than half of the spin deliveries sent down by PNG, taking 18 wickets.

On Caribbean surfaces, his performance will be significant to his side.

Uganda

ICC T20 world ranking: 22nd

T20 World Cup appearances: Debutants

Captain: Brian Masaba

Head coach: Abhay Sharma

Form (most recent last): WWLWL

Group fixtures (all times BST): Afghanistan (4 June, 01:30), Papua New Guinea (6 June, 00:30), West Indies (9 June, 01:30) & New Zealand (15 June, 01:30)

Batter to watch: Simon Ssesazi

Consistent left-hander Ssesazi is his country’s leading run-scorer in T20 internationals and has been the leading run-scorer across all nations in this World Cup cycle.

His strike-rate has been above 130 against both pace and spin in this time, and his average of 43 against seamers provides great stability at the top of the order.

Bowler to watch: Alpesh Ramjani

Mumbai-born left-arm spinner Ramjani has taken 70 wickets from his 39 T20Is at an average of just 8.88.

He is an all-phase bowler and brings consistency throughout, but through the middle overs he has taken 33 wickets and concedes just 4.37 runs per over.

West Indies

ICC T20 world ranking: Sixth

T20 World Cup appearances: Eight

Best T20 World Cup performance: Winners (2012 & 2016)

Captain: Rovman Powell

Head coach: Daren Sammy

Form (most recent last): LWWWW

Group fixtures (all times BST): Papua New Guinea (2 June, 15:30), Uganda (9 June, 01:30), New Zealand (13 June, 01:30) & Afghanistan (18 June, 01:30)

Batter to watch: Rovman Powell

The all-rounder has been in excellent form since taking over captaincy duties in February 2023.

The right-hander has enjoyed a promotion up to five in the order and averages close to 40 with a strike-rate of 170 since the last World Cup.

Powell has a strong preference to facing pace bowling through the death overs, where his strike-rate jumps to 197.

Bowler to watch: Akeal Hosein

Left-arm spinner Hosein has quickly developed into a key part of the West Indies bowling attack.

He is a powerplay specialist and has bowled 52% of his overs in this phase since the last World Cup, operating at a quicker and flatter trajectory than most spinners with 65% of his deliveries above 56mph.

Right-hand batters find Hosein particularly tough to get away; he concedes under eight runs per over against his preferred match-up.

Form correct up to and including 28 May and includes completed matches only. All other stats correct as of 18 May.