Andre Russell took three wickets and produced an unbeaten partnership with captain Rovman Powell to lead the West Indies to a four-wicket win over England in the T20 series opener in Bridgetown.
Phil Salt (40) got England off to a flying start after sharing a 77-run partnership with Jos Buttler (39) inside the first six overs, having lost the toss and been sent to bat first, only for West Indies to hit back and bowl out the visitors for 171 within 19.3 overs.
Rehan Ahmed (3-39) took two wickets in successive balls to leave the West Indies struggling at 123-6 in reply, after a brief weather delay, with Adil Rashid (2-14) also impressing as he celebrated his 100th T20I appearance by becoming the first bowler English Men reaches 100 T20I wickets.
Adil Rashid (centre) got the wickets of Kyle Mayers (35) and Shimron Hetmyer (1)
Powell and Russell (29 not out) then led the charge with an unbeaten 49 in a seventh-wicket stand off just 21 balls, as West Indies chased down their winning target with 11 balls to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the five-run over. series.
West Indies series opener
Salt smashed six boundaries during his outing, but was caught at deep midwicket by a brilliant catch from Shimron Hetmyer, who also captained Buttler caught at cow corner, as England failed to build on a fast start that saw them win 112-2 in midway through their roles.
Will Jacks (17) fired a brace in his quick innings before being removed by Alzarri Joseph (3-54), who conceded 25 off his first over – the most expensive of his career – but managed to end the match in more respectable figures after the clearing. Until the tail.
England’s Willjack, right, celebrates with captain Jos Buttler after scoring six goals from Alzarri Joseph
Romario Shepherd (2-22) put an end to Ben Duckett’s run (14) in the 14th over with a slower ball that moved to third and struck again in the 18th over to dismiss Sam Curran (13), but it was a brilliant catch as Joseph jumped in at long off which invited applause from the crowd. At Kensington Oval.
Brook (one) edged Pooran while Liam Livingstone (27) clipped a ball off Russell (3-19) onto his stumps, with Russell – playing in his first international match since the 2021 T20 World Cup – striking again four balls later. Ahmed (one) was captured by Powell for a long time.
Andre Russell was awarded Player of the Match on his return to international cricket
Joseph then finished strongly by dismissing Rashid (0) in the final over, then stumping Taimal Mills (0) off the next ball to leave England leading for 171.
Brandon King (22) and Kyle Mayers (35) put on a steady 32-run partnership in reply before the former hit a short ball at Duckett, who completed a huge catch, as West Indies amassed 78 runs inside the first six overs. .
Ahmed (3-39) had Nicholas Pooran (13) caught and bowled to turn the game back towards England, with Rashid getting his historic wicket in the next over when Hetmyer (one) was caught at mid-wicket by Duckett just before that. . Rain delay for 40 minutes.
Ahmed caught Shai Hope (36) from distance and used the ball, and Pater offered to send off Sheppard (0) for a golden duck, leaving the hosts still needing 49 goals, before the West saw expensive strikes from Livingstone and Mills. Indies add 32 inside two and turn the momentum back in their favour.
Russell hit Rashid for a six and then a four to reduce the number of runs required to four before carving Sam Curran (0-23) to the backward point boundary to complete the winning start to the series.
Butler: “We want to keep pushing the boundaries”
England captain Jos Buttler:
“It was always getting more difficult, the pitch, the way he played it. I thought West Indies had adapted to being off the ball, but from the position we were in, we were looking for a score of 200.”
Jos Buttler scored 39 in England’s four-wicket loss
“We want to keep pushing the boundaries and try to be as positive as possible. But it’s about finding ways to keep scoring like this.
“Today, as it’s become more difficult, it’s become more difficult to find ways to reduce dot balls and pick certain areas. Getting 20 or 25 extra runs in a way is also unfashionable, so that’s something we can think about and do well.”
What then?
The five-match T20 International series now heads to Grenada for back-to-back matches on Thursday and Saturday, both starting at 5.30pm GMT. They then move to Trinidad and Tobago for their final two matches on December 19 and 21, both at 10pm. Stream Sky Sports with NOW
The first IT20 match between England and West Indies proved to be an exhilarating showdown, as Andre Russell’s stellar performance led the hosts to a resounding four-wicket victory. The match was filled with thrilling moments and incredible displays of skill from both teams, making it a must-watch for cricket fans. With Russell at the helm, England showcased their prowess on the field, setting the stage for an exciting series of matches between these two formidable teams.