Perth [Australia]: Riding on the brilliance of Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford and Roston Chase, West Indies sink Australia in the third and last T20I of the series by 37 runs here at Perth Stadium on Tuesday.
Russell and Rutherford brought out the big hits under pressure to set up a much-needed total before Chase delivered a marvellous spell to sink Australia in the third T20I, but the hosts clinched the series by 2-1.
Chasing a target of 221, in his last international match on Australian territory, David Warner (81 off 49) got the chase underway early.
With six overs remaining, the run-rate increased to fifteen required per over. Captain Mitch Marsh (17) and Aaron Hardie (16) received the high start but failed to get going as Warner, Hardie, and Josh Inglis (1) fell in the space of ten balls.
Even big hitters Glenn Maxwell (12) and Tim David (41*) found it too much to handle. The hardest to get away from was spinner Chase, who finished his 20 overs on 5-183, with 2-19 from four overs, ending Australia’s chances of sweeping the series for the second time in a row.
Earlier, opting to bat first the visitors were in major danger. Debutant Bartlett repeated his ODI debut achievements, taking a wicket in his first T20 international over removing Johnson Charles for 4 and another in his second sending Kyle Mayers packing for 11.
West Indies were down to 79 for 5, but a powerful 139-run partnership between Russell and Rutherford utterly controlled the second half of the innings. They scored a total of 12 sixes and utterly destroyed Australia’s attack.
Brief score: West Indies 220/6 (Sherfane Rutherford 67, Andre Russell 71; Xavier Bartlett 2-37) vs Australia 183/5 (David Warner 81, Tim David 41*; Roston Chase 2-19)
