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Similar to the opening game of England’s trip, West
Indies’ triumph was sealed by Shai Hope with a game-winning six. With four
balls remaining, he sealed the series finale with a crisp strike over cover off
Chris Woakes. His undefeated, run-a-ball 43 was the highest score of a tense
low-scorer in Tarouba.
There’s a stir in the Caribbean. Under the captaincy
of Rovman Powell, West Indies have won three out of three T20I series since
their humiliating first-round ouster at the T20 World Cup in Australia last
year. In their debut T20I series as white-ball coach Daren Sammy’s team
defeated India 3-2 in August, and then defeated the reigning world champions by
the same score in December.
The strip used for the England 75-run victory 48 hours
earlier was the same one used for this finale at Trinidad’s Brian Lara Cricket
Academy, but the games couldn’t have been more dissimilar: on Tuesday night,
459 runs were scored in 35.3 overs; on Thursday, only 265 in 38.5 overs,
leading to a scramble for the finish line.
Hope took his time making 23 runs off of 31 balls
while chasing 133, but he eventually picked up the pace when he edged Rehan
Ahmed for his maiden boundary. West Indies created a lot of difficulties for
themselves, but England’s send-in collapse, which saw them lose their final six
wickets for a just 22 runs, was the deciding factor. After losing both, they
will return home empty-handed on Friday.
Jos Buttler was dismissed early in the fourth over,
scooping Jason Holder to short fine leg for 11 runs. Meanwhile, Will Jacks’s
innings summed up his series, showing a glimmer of promise as he crushed Akeal
Hosein over long-on for a straight six before being bowled back to earth by an
arm ball that scuttled into his stumps.
Buttler lamented how long it took England to recognise
this was not the same belter as two nights earlier, which gave Motie and Hosein
the opportunity to flourish. Harry Brook fell to his sixth ball, gloving Motie
behind as he shaped to scoop; he did not let up a boundary until Moeen Ali
again pulled one over midwicket.
Little opposition came from England’s lower order as
Russell removed Chris Woakes with an inch-perfect yorker and then swiftly
returned the favour by taking a brilliant catch off his own bowling when Rehan
sent a full toss back at him. While Adil Rashid was bringing Curran back on
strike, Curran was only able to pick up long-on. England was knocked out for
just 132 after being 267 for 3 last game.
After taking Kyle Mayers’ place at the top of the
order, Johnson Charles gave Woakes an early scare by swinging him over square
leg for six before guiding him away through point. Nevertheless, England’s
bowlers got the much-needed early wickets when Nicholas Pooran sliced Woakes
against his own stumps and Brandon King whacked Reece Topley straight to
mid-on.
As Hope steadied the ship from the other end, Sherfane
Rutherford made a crucial cameo of 30 off 21 balls, smashing Rashid down the
ground for six and lifting Curran over long leg.
The chase got crazy as the game progressed. West
Indies got one run off the first five balls of the 19th over, but Powell
dropped Rehan down the ground for six to cut the needed rate below six.
However, he then guided Topley to short third, and Russell swung like a rusty
gate before heaving Curran’s full toss down long-on’s throat.
Hope chose to end it with a single shot, smashing
Woakes over the off side to trigger celebrations that would last long into the
night. Six wickets were needed from five balls.