The West Indies managed the biggest T20 International run-chase ever at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, beating England by five wickets in the fourth fixture of their five-match series on Saturday evening. Finally, the top order clicked for the men in Maroon, albeit in a consolation rubber, after England sealed the series 3-0 on Thursday.
On a sunny afternoon in Saint Lucia, West Indies captain Rovman Powell won the toss for the first time this series and elected to bowl first. Sherfane Rutherford and Obed McCoy replaced Romario Shepherd and Terrance Hinds in the XI.
Nicholas Pooran made his 102nd appearance, becoming the most capped player for the West Indies in T20Is, moving past Chris Gayle.
England’s total of 218-5 was built on half-centuries from former Barbados schoolboy cricketers, Phil Salt and Jacob Bethell. Salt, at the top of the order, hit 55 off 35. Bethell, 21 years old and in just his sixth T20I, stroked 62 off 32 balls, with four fours and five sixes.
Jos Buttler added 32, and Will Jacks a rapidfire 25 off 12. Alzarri Joseph and Gudakesh Motie led the bowling, Motie with 2-40 from his four overs, and Joseph 1-33.
By the end of the ninth over, the required run-rate was down to just above 7.5, with Lewis on 68 off 30 balls, inclusive of four fours and seven massive sixes, and his opposite number 54 from 24, with seven boundaries and three sixes.
The following over, during which drinks came, produced three wickets. Both openers fell, and so did the dangerous Pooran. Powell strolled in and smashed 27 from his first 14 balls, hitting two fours and two sixes. Shimron Hetmyer chanced his hand, but was the third scalp for Rehan Ahmed, caught Liam Livingstone.
The blitz did not slow, though, as Powell and the incoming Sherfane Rutherford each cleared the fences to take the asking rate below six. In that over as well, just after smashing Ahmed over long-on, Rutherford went down in a heap, apparently struggling with cramp.
By the time Powell went for 38 (23 balls, 2×4 3×6) in the 17th over, the chase was well under control. Rutherford lofted two sixes to finish things off in style in the 19th over, ending unbeaten on 29 from 17 balls, and sealing the second-biggest chase ever for the Windies.
The West Indies had lost 11 wickets in 18 powerplay overs in the previous three games. Hope noted that that was something they were intent on changing on Saturday evening, especially on a strip that they felt was a good one for batting.
“Well, the first thing we saw was when we were fielding in the first innings, the pitch was a very good pitch. And as long as we could try to contain them as best as we could, give ourselves the best chance, and then before we went out to bat, the key thing was just controlling the powerplay as a batter, not lose any wickets and obviously put pressure on them,” said Hope.
“They’ve been striking with the new ball a lot. So as long as we didn’t do that, we always knew we had the calibre of players in our arsenal to chase down most, if not any score. So the aim was just to get out of the powerplay on top and then continue through the middle.”
The home team’s score of 221-5 was the highest score ever at the venue, surpassing their 218-5 against Pakistan in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup earlier this year. Australia had the previous biggest chase at this ground, 197-7 to beat Pakistan in 2010.
The West Indies also broke their string of five straight losses, having succumbed twice on tour to Sri Lanka last month.
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