The West Indies defeated England to secure their second victory at the ICC T20 World Cup. The match, played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 11, places the Men in Maroon just one win away from guaranteeing a Super 8 spot as they pursue a third title.
This fixture, a rematch of the 2016 final, featured two unbeaten teams; England having overcome Nepal, and the West Indies defeating Scotland. England won the toss and opted to bowl first, immediately striking with Barbadian-born Jofra Archer dismissing the West Indies skipper Shai Hope for a three-ball duck. Brandon King soon followed.
In-form batsman Shimron Hetmyer, in partnership with Roston Chase, then added 47 runs for the third wicket before falling for a quickfire 23 off 12 deliveries. The West Indies ended the powerplay at 55/3. Chase contributed a steady 33 before being dismissed by Adil Rashid, who celebrated his 400th T20 wicket in the process.
The true momentum came from Sherfane Rutherford, who blasted 76 runs off 42 balls, including two fours and seven sixes. Much of his tally came in a 61-run partnership with Jason Holder, who smashed 33 off just 17 deliveries as the West Indies closed at 196/6.
England had a blistering start, scoring 67 runs in the first six overs for the loss of only one wicket. Phil Salt led the charge with 30 off 14 balls, supported by Jos Buttler’s 21 off 14. However, the West Indies clawed back during the middle overs, with their spinners taking crucial wickets. Despite resistance from Sam Curran (43 not out) and Jacob Bethel (33), the Windies continued to chip away at England’s batting lineup.
A key turning point came through the spin duo of Chase and Gudakesh Motie, who combined for five wickets. Motie finished with 3/33, while Chase claimed 2/29. Strong fielding further tilted the game in West Indies’ favour, sealing a 30-run victory.
Daren Sammy’s men will hope this statement win propels them to even greater success as the tournament progresses.
