Right the players are all set and we're about to get underway here.

Akeal Hosein, one of three spinners in the West Indies side, is opening the bowling, with Tony Ura first on strike.

Geraint Jones
Former England and Papua New Guinea wicketkeeper on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

To have 20 teams in this tournament, all learning from it, it can only be a positive. They can increase their skills and get closer to the top nations. You saw some of the PNG players crying in the anthem - that's what this means.

Roland Butcher
Former England batter on BBC Sounds

What’s important is for the West Indies to get a win and put Papua New Guinea under pressure. There is the possibility of some rain around. If there’s a short game you want to be batting last.

A proud moment for Papua New Guinea as their national anthem is played before West Indies follow suit.

They will be hoping to do better than their performance in 2021, losing all three matches and being eliminated in the preliminary group stages.

First on their 2024 World Cup schedule is a West Indies side who are hoping for a good run on home soil this month.

Geraint Jones
Former England and Papua New Guinea wicketkeeper on BBC Sounds

This is the level Papua New Guinea want to be playing at. They are dominant in their region so they want to pit themselves against the best. Batting is their strongest suit.

Image source, BBC Sport/Getty Images

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.

Read more about Group C in our preview here.

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)

Read all about Papua New Guinea and the rest of Group C here.

Image source, BBC Sport/Getty Images

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.

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)

Read all about West Indies and the rest of Group C here.

Papua New Guinea captain Assadollah Vala: "It looks a good wicket, even with the rain around in the past couple of days.

"We've got the right balance to our team. We've got a lot of all-rounders so we've got all the bases covered and we're happy with the balance of the team.

"The preparation is really good, we've been here for a couple of weeks and we're enjoying the Caribbean lifestyle."

West Indies captain Rovman Powell: "With the inclement weather and the fresh wicket it is natural for us to have a bowl and then our batters can assess how to bat on this wicket.

"It looks a little different to usual pitches here but we still think it will be the same type of wicket and it provides an opportunity for us to play good cricket.

"There is expectation but I and the team are excited at the possibility for winning a home World Cup and we know what it would do for us as individuals and West Indies as the whole."

Here are today's teams and the hosts have opted to name three spinners in their side in Roston Chase, Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie.

West Indies: Charles, King, Pooran (wk), Chase, Powell (c), Rutherford, Russell, Shepherd, Hosein, Joseph, Motie.

Papua New Guinea: Ura, Vala (c), Siaka, Bao, Hiri, Amini, Doriga (wk), Nao, Soper, Morea, Kariko.

West Indies captain Rovman Powell has won the toss and elected to bowl first.

It looks sunny for now, but a few dark clouds are in the air in Providence and the hosts will look to make that count.

You can also watch full highlights of USA's win over Canada in last night's World Cup opener here.

The World Cup kicked off overnight as co-hosts United States faced Canada in what was a historic debut T20 World Cup match for both sides.

In the Group A opener in Dallas, Texas, Canada batted first and posted a score of 194-5, helped by a knock of 61 from Navneet Dhaliwal.

In response, the hosts chased down their 195 total with 14 balls to spare, helped by a score 94 not out from just 40 balls from Aaron Jones.

Read Timothy Abraham's match report in full from the Grand Prairie Stadium here.

Image source, Getty Images

Hello and welcome to today's T20 World Cup live text for co-hosts West Indies' opening match against Papua New Guinea in Group C.

As the co-hosts with comfortably the more cricketing expertise, West Indies will want to get their campaign off to a perfect start today and see Papua New Guinea as one of the less-testing opponents in their group, on paper at least.

PNG meanwhile are competing at just their second T20 World Cup and will hope to cause a few upsets at this month-long tournament.

Follow us throughout the afternoon as Windies look to follow on from their fellow co-hosts, the United States' success, overnight.