England’s star batsman Jos Buttler produced a scintillating display of power-hitting to lead his team to a commanding 7-wicket victory over West Indies in the second T20 International at Kensington Oval in Barbados. Chasing 159 for the win, Buttler smashed an unbeaten 83 off just 45 balls as England reached the target with ease, taking a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Archer and Mahmood Set the Tone
Earlier, England’s new-ball pair of Jofra Archer and Saqib Mahmood exploited the overcast conditions superbly, getting the ball to swing prodigiously. Archer, in particular, was near unplayable, finding the edge of opener Evin Lewis’ bat with a vicious outswinger. Mahmood, despite struggling with his line early on, trapped Roston Chase lbw with a peach of a delivery.
“Jofra and Saqib were absolutely brilliant with the new ball, putting the West Indies batters under immense pressure from the start,” said England captain Jos Buttler after the match.
The Windies batters struggled to cope with the moving ball, limping to 158/8 in their 20 overs despite a late flurry from the lower order. Sam Curran and Adil Rashid also bowled miserly spells, with Rashid even operating with a slip and leg-slip at times.
Buttler Makes Light Work of Chase
In reply, England lost Phil Salt for a golden duck, spooning a catch to cover off left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein. But that was the only success West Indies would enjoy, as Buttler, promoted to number 3, unleashed a stunning array of shots. He took a particular liking to off-spinner Gudakesh Motie, launching him into the stands with disdain.
Buttler raced to his fifty off just 29 balls, putting on an unbroken century stand with Alex Hales (35*). He finished the match in style, smashing Sheldon Cottrell for a huge six over long-on, his eighth of the innings to go with six fours. It was an exhibition of 360-degree batting from one of the most destructive batters in world cricket.
“I really enjoyed myself out there tonight, it was great fun batting on this wicket,” Buttler said. “I’ve just been focusing on playing with freedom and enjoyment during this series, and it’s paying off so far.”
Windies Outclassed Again
For the second game running, West Indies were comprehensively outplayed, this time in front of their home fans. The toss again proved crucial, with dew making batting easier in the second innings. But England’s bowlers adapted well to give their batters a very gettable target.
West Indies captain Rovman Powell admitted his team was far from its best but vowed to bounce back in the remaining matches. “We were probably 20-30 runs short with the bat, and we didn’t bowl well enough to defend 158,” he said. “But this is a long series, we have three matches to try and turn it around. We’ll regroup and come back stronger.”
With three games to go, England are firmly in the driver’s seat. The victory will be especially pleasing for them considering the number of top players they are missing, including Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow and Mark Wood. This series is an opportunity for their fringe players to stake a claim for the T20 World Cup squad, and so far they are grabbing it with both hands.
Key Takeaways
- Jos Buttler leads England to dominant 7 wicket win with blazing 83* off 45 balls
- Archer and Mahmood set the tone with brilliant new ball spells
- England’s bowlers restrict West Indies to below-par 158/8 despite late flourish
- Windies comprehensively outplayed again, now trail 0-2 in 5-match series
- Toss proving crucial, with teams batting second enjoying a huge advantage
England will seek to wrap up the series in the third T20I on Wednesday, while West Indies face an uphill battle to stay alive. Much will depend on the toss, but the tourists have simply been superior in all departments so far. With Buttler in the form of his life and a hungry, talented bunch of players eager to impress, England appear unstoppable at the moment.
