News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Thurs. Dec. 14, 2023: The West Indies are champions again!
In an exciting showdown, West Indies opener Brandon King showcased his prowess with an unbeaten half-century, earning the Man-of-the-Match title while Captain Rovman Powell joined the fireworks with a fantastic fifty of his own as the West Indies triumphed over England by ten runs, securing a 2-0 lead in the five-match series held at the Grenada National Cricket Stadium.
Starting on a shaky note at 54 for four in the ninth over, West Indies rallied to reach a formidable total of 176 for seven in their allotted 20 overs. Brandon King’s masterful 82 not out off 52 balls led the charge, while Powell contributed a blistering 50 off just 28 deliveries.
England’s response fell short despite Sam Curran’s impressive 50 off 32 balls. They finished at 166 for seven, with fast bowler Alzarri Joseph’s figures of three for 39 and left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein’s two for 24 creating obstacles in their run chase. Left-arm spinner Guadkesh Motie, in his second T20 International appearance after a two-year hiatus, added to England’s frustration with a brilliant four-over spell that conceded only nine runs.
This victory marked West Indies’ third consecutive T20I win and their seventh in ten matches this year.
Despite a promising start, West Indies faced a sudden collapse, losing four wickets for just 11 runs in a span of 16 deliveries. Brandon King, with eight fours and five sixes, initiated a partnership of 43 off 34 balls with Kyle Mayers (17) in the power-play. However, the wickets started falling when Mayers was dismissed in the sixth over, followed by Nicholas Pooran in the next over. Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer also departed quickly.
Brandon King, though, remained unflappable and forged a record-breaking fifth-wicket partnership of 80 runs with Powell and an additional 42 runs with Andre Russell (14). These crucial partnerships propelled West Indies to accumulate 108 runs in the last nine overs. King reached his eighth T20 International fifty in the 13th over, while Powell blazed his way to a 27-ball fifty.
Powell’s explosive performance included three fours and five sixes, but he perished in the 17th over after single-handedly taking 28 runs off the over. King continued till the end, finishing the innings strongly.
West Indies’ bowlers struck early, with Akeal Hosein dismissing England’s captain Jos Buttler for just two runs. Opener Phil Salt (25) and Will Jacks (24) steadied the innings with a 46-run partnership for the second wicket. However, Joseph took crucial wickets in the deep, leaving England at 65 for three in the 10th over.
Sam Curran, promoted to number four, counter-attacked with four fours and three sixes, forming partnerships with Liam Livingstone (17) and Moeen Ali (22 not out). Despite Curran’s efforts, Joseph took his third wicket at the beginning of the 18th over. England required 43 runs from 17 balls, but Jason Holder’s brilliant penultimate over, costing only three runs, derailed their chances of victory.
