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West Indies defeated England in their five-match
Twenty20 International series in Barbados thanks to a vintage all-around effort
by Andre Russell, who was making his comeback to international cricket.
Russell’s brilliant three-wicket stand stopped
England’s attacking intent despite their powerplay having gotten off to a
flying start thanks to Phil Salt’s 40 from 20 balls. Russell and Rovman Powell
then hammered their side past a victory target of 172 with a characteristically
hard-hitting seventh-wicket stand of 49 in 21 balls.
Russell’s thunderous cut for four off Sam Curran at
the beginning of the 19th over effectively sealed the victory as West Indies
stormed to their best run-chase in T20Is in Barbados. Even though England lost,
there were some positive signals, especially with the way that Adil Rashid and
his likely successor, Rehan Ahmed, combined to take five wickets. However,
following their defeat in the ODI series last week, it was yet another blow to
their attempts to rebuild their reputation in the white ball prior to their
defence of the T20 World Cup the following year.
As Phil Salt went out to face the opening over of the
match, carefree savagery had been the norm of the day. Salt, who never thinks
twice about hanging the consequences and pouring some welly, and England’s
mannerisms were enhanced by his audacity. He threw the bat at left-arm spinner
Akeal Hosain and got the first of his seven boundaries from the second of the
20 balls he faced, with a fat edge beyond slip. After hitting two more fours
via square leg and point, respectively, three balls in, the stage was set for
the powerplay.
At 129 for 5 in the 14th over, England’s momentum had
been ransacked, and they could never entirely recover their poise,
notwithstanding a stand of 36 in four overs between Sam Curran and Liam
Livingstone, whose back-to-back sixes off Holder’s final two balls were a
timely reminder of the power that lurks in his game.
West Indies, chasing 172, came out swinging, with
Brandon King smashing 16 off Sam Curran’s opening over, including two leg-side
pick-ups for six. Then, at deep midwicket, Kyle Mayers unleashed two massive
blows, the first off Will Jacks and the second, an incredible 103-meter shot
off a short ball from Tymal Mills.
West Indies looked to have taken advantage of a
half-hour rain delay, as they led by six runs on DLS at the interval. Hope then
further reduced Rehan’s statistics with a convincing sweep for six. Once more,
though, Rehan’s answer was mature beyond his years. He extended another
invitation to Hope, but slightly widened his queue; Brook, positioned far to
the left, completed the task.
But an asking price that was close to ten times higher
than that wasn’t going to deter Russell and Powell. Russell joined the assault
as Powell took advantage of that requirement with back-to-back sixes off Liam
Livingstone. Russell’s top-edged pull off Mills flew over fine leg. It was
make-or-break time for England in Rashid’s penultimate over, but Russell got
the googly to hoist him high over deep midwicket, and the match ended shortly.