Jos Buttler’s powerful 83 off 45 balls secures England’s 2-0 lead against West Indies.© (Twitter)
Bridgetown, Barbados — England’s Jos Buttler delivered a stunning performance in his second innings as T20I captain, scoring a blistering 83 off 45 balls to lead England to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over the West Indies. England, now 2-0 up in the five-match series, chased down West Indies’ target of 159 with more than five overs to spare, thanks to the combined efforts of their bowlers and Buttler’s powerful batting display.
England’s Bowlers Set the Stage
England’s bowlers initially set the tone for the match, restricting the West Indies to 158 for 8 in their 20 overs. Saqib Mahmood impressed with two early wickets, quickly reducing West Indies to 35 for three by the fourth over. Mahmood’s deliveries were challenging, and his effective partnership with Jofra Archer put West Indies on the back foot in the powerplay.
Dan Mousley and Liam Livingstone added to the pressure, taking crucial middle-order wickets. While Rovman Powell top-scored with a cautious 43 off 41 balls, only Romario Shepherd managed to add a meaningful contribution with 20 runs. The West Indies middle order struggled to establish strong partnerships, giving England the advantage heading into their chase.
Buttler and Jacks Seal the Chase
Despite a rough start, with opener Phil Salt dismissed on the first ball, Buttler and Will Jacks quickly took control of the game. Buttler played a balanced innings, starting slow but accelerating rapidly, reaching his half-century in just 32 balls. The pair forged a 129-run partnership, quickly hitting boundaries and keeping the West Indies bowlers at bay.
Jacks initially led the charge, picking up boundaries off Matthew Forde and Akeal Hosein, while Buttler started conservatively, scoring only three runs off his first ten balls. However, Buttler soon found his rhythm, dispatching Shepherd’s deliveries to the boundary and hitting consecutive sixes off Roston Chase. By the 10th over, England had already scored 100 runs, and they would clearly reach the target comfortably.
Both Jacks and Buttler were eventually dismissed the same way by Shepherd, but by then, the outcome was all but decided. Liam Livingstone polished off the chase with four boundaries in just 11 balls, finishing the match in style with a six.
West Indies Struggle Despite Powell’s Efforts
Batting first, West Indies needed a solid start but found themselves in trouble early on. Evin Lewis edged a delivery from Archer, and Brandon King was caught at mid-off on just his second ball after a mistimed shot. With Pooran and Powell at the crease, West Indies struggled to build momentum, managing only 35 runs off the first 43 balls.
Powell was the mainstay for the West Indies, hitting the team’s first six and staying on the crease while his teammates struggled. However, he too fell after hitting 43, bowled by a sharp yorker from Mousley. West Indies’ lower order added a few runs in the final overs, but their total of 158 fell short of a challenging score.
Looking Ahead
With a dominant performance in both games, England heads into the third match with solid momentum and confidence. On the other hand, the West Indies will need to regroup and find answers, particularly in their top-order batting and bowling tactics, to keep the series alive. The third T20I promises more action as the West Indies look to make a comeback and England aims to secure the series win.
