West Indies continued their dominance over England by securing a 10-run victory in the second match of the five-match series, taking a commanding 2-0 lead at the National Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
Opener Brandon King played a pivotal role in West Indies’ win, earning the Man-of-the-Match award with his unbeaten half-century. After being sent into bat, West Indies found themselves in trouble at 54 for four in the ninth over. However, they rallied to post a challenging total of 176 for seven in their allotted 20 overs.
King was the standout performer, scoring an impressive 82 not out off 52 deliveries, while captain Rovman Powell added another valuable 50 runs off 28 balls.
In response, England struggled to find their rhythm throughout their innings, despite Sam Curran’s valiant 50 off 32 balls. They eventually finished at 166 for seven, falling short of the target. West Indies’ fast bowler Alzarri Joseph proved to be a major obstacle for the English batsmen, taking three crucial wickets for 39 runs, while left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein chipped in with two wickets for 24 runs.
Gudakesh Motie, one of the surprises of the match
One of the surprises of the match was left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, making only his second T20 International appearance in two years. He delivered a brilliant four-over spell that conceded just nine runs, further frustrating England’s efforts.
This victory marked West Indies’ third consecutive T20I win and their seventh win in 10 matches this year. After their successful outing in the series opener in Barbados, West Indies had a strong start but suffered a rapid collapse, losing four wickets for just 11 runs. King and Kyle Mayers (17) had added 43 runs for the first wicket before the slide began.
Despite the setbacks, King remained composed and formed crucial partnerships with Powell, amassing a record-breaking 80 runs for the fifth wicket, and later adding 42 runs for the sixth wicket with Andre Russell (14). King reached his eighth T20 International half-century in the 13th over.
Powell was instrumental in taking West Indies to a competitive total, reaching his 50 off just 27 balls, including three fours and five sixes. However, he was dismissed in the 17th over, leaving King to finish the innings.
Holder’s exceptional penultimate over
Reflecting on his performance, King said, “I got the start in the power-play, [and] it was difficult for new batters to come, especially when the spinners were bowling. Given that I got the start, I just tried to take it as deep as possible.”
West Indies also made an impact with the ball early in England’s innings, as Hosein dismissed the prized wicket of Jos Buttler for just two runs. England’s openers Phil Salt (25) and Will Jacks (24) stabilized the innings with a 46-run partnership for the second wicket.
However, Joseph’s brilliant spell accounted for both openers, and England found themselves struggling at 65 for three in the 10th over. Curran, promoted to number four, provided some resistance with a quick 50, but it was not enough to secure a win for England.
Seamer Jason Holder’s exceptional penultimate over, which cost only three runs, all but dashed England’s hopes of a comeback.
West Indies will look to maintain their winning momentum as the series progresses, while England faces an uphill battle to bounce back.
