West Indies and England aggregated 428 runs which is the highest in a Twenty20 International as Rovman Powell hit a blazing century to give West Indies a 20-run win.
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A total of 31 sixes rained down at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. 428 runs were scored in the match between West Indies and England, which was a record aggregate for a T20I in the West Indies. Rovman Powell blasted a brilliant 107 off 53 balls which included 10 sixes. However, West Indies held their nerve and defended the total as they won by 20 runs. It was slam-bang-thank you ma’am action as fans were treated to a run-fest in Barbados.
West Indies started poorly with Brandon King being dismissed for 10. Nicholas Pooran, though, started the onslaught with two sixes and a four off Garton. Pooran hit another four and six off Tymal Mills as West Indies crossed 50 in the sixth over. Shai Hope also fell cheaply to Liam Livingstone but the stage was set for a brilliant onslaught by Pooran and Rovman Powell.
Powell got going with two sixes off Livingstone. Pooran hit a six and raised his fifty off 34 balls. West Indies were 114/2 in 13 overs but the stage was set for a grand assault. Powell hit two sixes and a four in the 14th over by Livingstone which went for 26 runs. Reece Topley was also pummeled for a big six. The six-hitting spree continued, with Pooran’s six off Mills producing the highest third-wicket stand for West Indies in Twenty20 Internationals.
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Pooran was looking good for a century but he fell to Adil Rashid for 70. The 122-run stand was crucial in West Indies nearing 200. Romario Shepherd then hit a six to keep hopes of West Indies reaching 200 alive. Powell then smoked a four and two sixes to near 100 and push West Indies past 200. Powell notched up his century off just 51 balls but he fell for 107 off 53 balls. Kieron Pollard smoked two fours in the final over off Tymal Mills as West Indies notched up their highest Twenty20 International score against England.
In response, England started brilliantly with Jason Roy and Tom Banton hitting three sixes in three overs. However, Shepherd got the big wicket of Roy for 19. Banton continued to keep England afloat with a six and four off Akeal Hosein as England ended on 61/1 in the powerplay.
Tom Banton and James Vince hit a six each off Hosein but Vince fell for 16. Pollard then dismissed Moeen Ali for 0. Banton reached his fifty off just 29 balls as Livingstone showed his intent with a big six off Powell. But, Livingstone was sent back by Shepherd as England continued to lose wickets. But, they did not give up.
Banton hit two sixes off Shepherd as the asking rate mounted. The right-hander hit his third six in four balls but when he fell to Pollard, the game seemed to be up. Philip Salt hit two sixes in the 14th and 15th over but the asking rate was now becoming hard to manage. Salt hit another four and six but England needed 41 runs in 12 balls.
However, Sheldon Cottrell gave away just three runs and took two wickets as the game was sealed. 36 runs were needed off six balls and for a moment, Salt gave glimpses of a miracle. He hit two sixes off Shepherd but when he fell, the game was truly up.
Powell was the Man of the Match and he stated the improvements that he had done to his game. “Wrist spin was an issue for me in the past. But, I went away and worked on it over the last 6-7 months. We knew Rashid was the most threatening bowler for them, was looking to get 25-30 off him, and then target the others,” Powell said.
West Indies skipper Pollard said the team played without any ego. “We played well against spinners and set the template. This was spoken about it a lot in the meetings. One boundary was short and we could clear it. Sometimes we’ll have to take the ego out of the game,” Pollard said.
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