England Dominates West Indies for a 2-0 Lead in T20 Series

England’s captain Jos Buttler played a brilliant innings, scoring 83 runs from 45 balls, to help England chase down 159 runs against the West Indies. This win gave England a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20 series. Buttler hit eight fours and six huge sixes, partnering with Will Jacks to finish the game with more than five overs left.

England’s bowlers set the stage early, holding West Indies to 158 runs after choosing to bowl first. Saqib Mahmood led the attack, taking two early wickets. Mahmood’s efforts, along with solid spells from Liam Livingstone and Dan Mousley, left West Indies struggling to get runs in the powerplay.

West Indies found some stability with Rovman Powell, who scored 43 runs from 41 balls, and Romario Shepherd, who added late runs. But a total of 158 wasn’t enough. England lost Phil Salt on the very first ball of their innings, but Buttler and Jacks then took control. Their partnership of 129 runs off 72 balls left little doubt about the outcome.

Early Hope for West Indies

West Indies hoped for a strong start with the ball. Akeal Hosein struck immediately, catching Phil Salt on the first ball. He even caused some trouble for Buttler, who almost hit a ball onto his stumps. But after a few overs, England settled in and took control.

Buttler’s Fireworks

Jacks started aggressively, hitting boundaries off Hosein and Matthew Forde. Buttler took a bit to get going, scoring just three runs in his first 10 balls. But soon, he found his rhythm, hitting a series of boundaries, including a big six off Romario Shepherd. England reached 56 for 1 by the end of the powerplay and were cruising.

Buttler brought up his half-century with a six off Roston Chase in the 10th over. Even after both Buttler and Jacks were dismissed in the same over, England needed only a few more hits to win. Livingstone finished the game in style, hitting four boundaries in just 11 balls and sealing the victory with a six.

England’s Bowlers Set the Tone

England’s bowling was strong from the start. With rain earlier in the day, there was some movement in the pitch, which Jofra Archer and Mahmood used to their advantage. Archer dismissed Evin Lewis, while Mahmood kept up the pressure by dismissing Brandon King and Chase. This left West Indies struggling at 35 for 3 in the fourth over.

West Indies Middle Order Struggles

Powell and Nicholas Pooran tried to fight back, putting on a 35-run partnership. But boundaries were hard to come by. Pooran eventually got stumped, trying to hit Livingstone, while Powell was bowled by a well-placed yorker from Mousley.

Late Runs from West Indies Lower Order

West Indies’ lower-order batters added some late runs, with Motie, Shepherd, and debutant Terrance Hinds finding the boundary. However, their total of 158 wasn’t enough, and England chased it down easily.

With this win, England now leads the series 2-0. They combined tight bowling with powerful batting, leaving West Indies needing a strong response in the remaining matches to stay in the series.