In the first Twenty20 International match of the season at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Wednesday, the Caribbean team defeated England by four wickets thanks to a masterclass from West Indies bowling all-rounder Andre Russell.
The West Indies chose to field first after winning the toss. After that, the host took control of the game right away. The only two English batsmen who stood out during the game were Philip Salt (40 runs from 20 balls) and Jos Buttler (39 runs from 31 balls), who batted first. Their input enabled the opposition to score 171 runs in the opening frame.
Apart from them, the other batters who kept England in the game in Barbados during the first inning were Liam Livingstone (27 runs from 19 balls), Will Jacks (17 runs from 9 balls), and Ben Duckett (14 runs from 12 balls). Russell took three wickets at a cost of just 19 runs, to lead the West Indies bowling attack. Alzarri Joseph, in contrast, claimed three wickets in his 3.3 overs, but he also gave up 54 runs. Romario Shepherd claimed two wickets in addition to them. Jason Holder and Akeal Hosein each claimed one wicket. West Indies made a strong start to their 172-run chase after Kyle Mayers (35 runs from 21 balls) and Brandon King (22 runs from 12 balls) set the tone.
Following King’s outing in the 2.4th over, Shai Hope (36 runs from 30 balls) assumed the mantle of ensuring the necessary run rate was maintained. West Indies captain Rovman Powell (31 runs from 15 balls) stayed at the crease until the very end to help his team secure a historic victory after the middle order collapsed. But Russell (29 runs from 14 balls) once more proved to be a vital player at the bat, forming a strong alliance with his captain to secure the victory. After giving up 39 runs and taking three wickets in his four-over spell, Rehan Ahmed spearheaded the English bowling attack. Adil Rashid conceded 25 runs while taking two wickets. In contrast, Chris Woakes’ two-over spell saw him claim one wicket.
Russell was crowned the “Player of the Match” after his brilliant performance.
The Caribbeans grabbed the early lead in the five-game 20-over format series with a victory of four wickets in the opening Twenty20 International match. Quick score: West Indies: Shai Hope 36 (30), Kyle Mayers 35 (21), Rovman Powell 31* (15); Rehan Ahmed 3/39, Adil Rashid 2/25, Chris Woakes 1/15 vs. England: Phil Salt 40 (20), Jos Buttler 39 (31), Liam Livingstone 27 (19); Andre Russell 3/19, Alzarri Joseph 3/54, Romario Shepherd 2/22.
