England lost by four wickets against the West Indies
England’s struggles in white-ball cricket persisted as they suffered a four-wicket defeat against the West Indies in the initial T20I at the Kensington Oval on Tuesday. The visiting team commenced explosively, amassing a strong 77-0 by the close of the PowerPlay and further reaching 112-2 after 10 overs.
However, their momentum waned, leading to a collapse, and England concluded their innings at 171 all out by the 20th over. Andre Russell, in his first T20I appearance in two years, spearheaded a West Indies resurgence by claiming 3-19. The West Indies, during their run chase, encountered challenging moments, including a brief rain interruption and setbacks, slipping from 101-4 in the 12th over to 123-6 in the 15th.
Captain Rovman Powell’s powerful hitting tilted the match in the home team’s favor, and they successfully achieved their target with 11 balls to spare. Powell remained unbeaten with 31 runs off 15 balls, while Russell, not out with 29 off 14 balls, contributed significantly, both hitting sixes beyond the stadium, pacing the highest successful T20 run chase at Kensington Oval. The 35-year-old Russell was named Player of the Match.
Reflecting on his performance, Russell commented, “Life is so funny. Since I got selected for the West Indies team, I’ve been dreaming of being Man of the Match.” Earlier in the game, Phil Salt and skipper Jos Buttler, who returned to the opening role after batting in the middle order in the One-Day international series defeat, provided England with what appeared to be a promising start.
Salt’s aggressive 13 runs, including three boundaries in the first over, propelled England to 50 within 4.5 overs. The scoring pace surged further with 26 runs in the 6th over, bowled by Alzarri Joseph, which included 10 extras.
Russell’s breakthrough in the 7th over disrupted the 77-run opening partnership when Salt was caught spectacularly by Shimron Hetmeyer at deep mid-wicket, the fielder stepping over the boundary and returning to complete the catch. Russell recognized the effectiveness of the slower ball on the pitch, stating, “The last delivery of my first over I bowled a slower ball and I realized it gripped.
Following that realization, I instructed several seamers to bowl cutters, aiming to create difficulties for the batsmen. Their primary source of runs comes from deliveries with more pace.” Joseph also capitalized on this revelation, eventually finishing with figures of 3-54 after conceding 17 runs, including seven wides, in his second over.
England stumbled from 117-2 to 129-5 in just 14 balls. Liam Livingstone (27) and Sam Curran (13 off 14 balls) attempted a slight recovery before Russell dismissed Livingstone, leaving England at 165-6, and the remaining four wickets fell for merely six runs. The West Indies commenced strongly with Brandon King striking two sixes and a four, scoring 16 runs in the first over.
They reached 50 within 4.5 overs but lost momentum after King departed for 22 from 12 deliveries. Kyle Myers contributed 31 runs from 21 balls, advancing the total to 78 before his dismissal at the beginning of the 8th over. The West Indies crossed the 100-run mark in 10.1 overs, maintaining a steady pace to surpass England’s score.
However, Rehan Ahmed (3/39) dismissed Nicholas Pooran (13) with his second ball, and Adil Rashid claimed the crucial wicket of Hetmeyer, becoming the first England bowler to achieve 100 wickets in T20Is in his 100th match. When rain arrived in the 13th over with the West Indies at 108-4, the players temporarily left the field for over 30 minutes.
Upon their return with no loss of overs, the West Indies batters had to contend with a softer ball and a variable pitch. Despite the interruption caused by rain in the 13th over with the West Indies at 108-4, play resumed smoothly, and the batters had to adapt to the changing conditions—a softer ball and a pitch showing some unpredictability.
The West Indies faced a few challenging moments during their run chase. After the rain delay, they had to recalibrate their approach due to the altered nature of the playing conditions. However, Rovman Powell’s explosive batting prowess steadied their ship. His aggressive strokes and calculated hitting, coupled with Andre Russell’s impactful contribution, steered the West Indies back on track.
Russell’s return to the T20I fold after a hiatus of two years was met with excitement and anticipation, and his performance showcased his value as a match-winning asset for the West Indies. His three crucial wickets not only halted England’s momentum but also provided the impetus for the West Indies’ resurgence.
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