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That brings us to end of our coverage from the opening T20I. Till the next time, this is me (Arya Sekhar Chakraborty) bidding adieu on the behalf of my fellow commentator and good mate Pragadeesh.
Rovman Powell (West Indies captain): it's a tough performance. After we came out in the powerplay, we got information about the pitch and they executed the plans brilliantly. The role of captain is pressuring so when I am batting, I am just focused on my batting. I think there is still a lot of improvement. We haven't controlled the powerplay particularly well in the games we have won. Once we can control the powerplay, many teams will try to catch up in the back end. We are not looking at the World Cup yet, some areas in the team are concern and fix them series by series and hopefully, when we reach the World Cup, we are in a good space.
Jos Buttler (England captain): Yeah it was a struggle with the pitch the way it played. From the position we were in, we should have scored 200 atleast. We have to keep pushing the boundaries and keep scoring runs. Today it became harder and harder. Try and minimise the dot balls. Sometimes 25 runs in an unfashionable way works as well. The start was fantastic. Salt played with intent. We have to see how we can maximise the final few overs. West Indies always tends to hit those big sixes so we have to execute our plans.
Andre Russell (Player of the Match) - Life is so funny and when I got selected, I was dreaming that my first match should be a man of the match. I don't know how it happens but I believed. Since the CPL season, this wicket has been two-paced and up and down. We have to take the pace-off and we pulled it back really well. Batting with the skipper, we had a good understanding. We know that he has power and I have power. From the winning position, we can't take anything for granted, so we stuck until the end
West Indies won by 4 wickets (with 11 deliveries to spare)
Shai Hope 36(30) | Andre Russell 3/19(4) Philip Salt 40(20) | Rehan Ahmed 3/39(4)
It turned out to be a rather dominating performance from West Indies as they chased down the target of 172 with relative ease courtesy of a match-winning stand between Rovman Powell and Andre Russell. Both showed tremendous responsibility and maturity and took their side over the finish line. They also took a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20I series. The target of 172 wasn't a big one but wasn't a straightforward one under any stress of imagination. West Indies needed to bat well to chase it down and for that they needed a good start in the powerplay.
The opening duo of Brandon King and Kyle Mayers came out all guns blazing and took the England new ball bowlers by the scruff of the neck. King banged Sam Curran for a couple of sixes and a four in the opening over and Mayers followed it up with a massive six and a four of the Will Jacks over. The stage was set but that is when Brandon King departed against the run of play. He smashed one short and wide delivery from Chris Woakes all right but ended up finding the fielder.
Out came Shai Hope at No 3 and the intent was there for everyone to see. The 46 run partnership came up in double quick time as Hope kept finding the boundaries. Mayers was eventually dismissed while trying to take on Woakes post the powerplay. A couple of quick wickets of Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer gave England hope but Shai Hope was still out with the likes of Rovman Powell and Shai Hope still out in the middle. It was Rehan Ahmed who bagged two crucial wickets of consecutive deliveries to turn the game in England's favour.
However, the duo of Powell and Andre Russell had other ideas. They came out all guns blazing and kept smashing boundaries at will to take their side over the finish line. Both batters weathered the storm and took on the England bowlers with utter disdain. While Powell remained unbeaten on 31 off 15 deliveries, Russell smashed a quickfire 29 off just 14 deliveries. The two leggies Rehan Ahmed and Adil Rashid were the pick of the bowlers, bagging three wickets and two wickets each
18.1 Sam Curran to Andre Russell, FOUR! Russell seals things in style and West Indies go 1-0 up in the series. This is the highest-run chase by West Indies at Kensington Oval. Short and wide, Russell gets on top of the bounce and chops it over backward point
Sam Curran [2-0-19-0] is back into the attack.
The result is a mere formality now. Andre Russell smoking a massive six and adding one more boundary to take the game away from England. Just 4 more required off the last two overs and it should be the final over of the game.
18
overs
168/6score
0
6
0
4
1
0
runs
Andre Russell*
25(14)
Rovman Powell
31(14)
Adil Rashid
2/25
17.6 Adil Rashid to Rovman Powell, pitched up angling in, Powell turns it to short fine leg
17.5 Adil Rashid to Andre Russell, on a good length and it's been nudged to mid-wicket for one
17.4 Adil Rashid to Andre Russell, FOUR! Drops it short and it spins away, Russell has more time to pick his spot. He rocks back and slaps this wide of long-off for a boundary
17.3 Adil Rashid to Andre Russell, spins away from a back of a length, Russell taps it to cover
That was a googly from Adil Rashid, not sure whether Russell picked it but he has sent it many a mile. Another 103 metre six. A massive massive blow and West Indies sailing along towards the victory target.
17.2 Adil Rashid to Andre Russell, SIX! OUT OF THE PARK! Wrong'un and it's dragged back. Russell lets it to turn and wallops it over deep mid-wicket for a maximum
17.1 Adil Rashid to Andre Russell, on a good length angling around off, Russell blocks it back
Adil Rashid [3-0-14-2] is back into the attack.
This over has all but sealed the game for West Indies. 16 runs coming off that over and both batters contributing to the cause. Just 15 more needed off 18 deliveries and this has been a thoroughly proffesional run chase from the hosts.
17
overs
157/6score
1
1
2
6
1wd
1
4
runs
Rovman Powell*
31(14)
Andre Russell
14(8)
Tymal Mills
0/34
16.6 Tymal Mills to Rovman Powell, FOUR! This is poor bowling from Mills. Short and it's angling across off, Powell has enough pace to slap this past backward point
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Andre Russell
*
Adil Rashid
Video
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Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
