England (181/2) derailed West Indies’ (180/4) unbeaten run with an 8-wicket victory at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium. In the Super 8 round of the T20 World Cup, West Indies batted first and scored a mammoth 180 runs. Johnson Charles (38/34), Nicholas Pooran (36/32), Rovman Powell (36/17), and Sherfane Rutherford (28/15) collectively helped the team reach 180. However, Philip Salt (87/47) overshadowed everything as he peaked at the right time to take England home.
The electricity crackled in the St. Lucian air – not just from the tropical heat, but batters enjoyed their outing to the fullest for the first time on Caribbean shores. England skipper Jos Buttler (25/22) opted to chase after winning the toss and marched into this match with a point to prove. The hosts made a splendid start in Saint Lucia, as Brandon King (23/13) and Johnson Charles put up a 94 runs-opening partnership. The pair had the Windies flying at 40/0 early in the fifth over, with King leading the charge in the powerplay against Jofra Archer (1/34).
West Indies’ desperate need to accelerate was further curated by the home skipper Rovman Powell (36/17) who cashed in when Buttler decided to gamble with an over from Liam Livingstone (1/20) in the 15th over. He shot three sixes down the ground in four deliveries but was put down at a fourth off Livingstone’s final ball.
West Indies’ final push from Sherfane Rutherford played a pivotal knock of 28 runs off 15 deliveries to take his side’s score to 180/4 in 20 overs, setting a good mark for others to make.
England’s Openers Phil Salt and Jos Buttler laid strong foundations, cracking seven boundaries in the Powerplay that included one of the biggest sixes of the tournament so far. Salt and Bairstow in middle overs kept the chase going with Bairstow breaking the shackles.
Despite the bumpy ride to the qualification, Englad have smashed their way back into prominence, producing a clutch run chase to defeat the West Indies. West Indies were rampant coming into this game but England showcased why they were defending champions.
Key Moments of the match:
England unleashing bowling fury
England were under pressure early on and were in danger of fading away in death overs. However after getting belted in the middle overs, England tightened the leash in the death. England got better off Nicholas Pooran after his 33 runs start as a thin edge off Archer’s yorker went straight to the wicket-keeper. Meanwhile, Andre Russell (1/2) holed out to Phil Salt as England neutralized a big threat in West Indies’ quest for 200 runs. These two wickets were big moments of the match and played a big role in West Indies’ win.
Openers early attack
West Indies posted a good total of 181 runs, and England needed a big start. Phil Salt and Jos Buttler, both the batters, got the better of West Indies bowlers and smashed them all around the park. Salt slammed a massive six off Russell that landed on the roof of the St.Lucia Stadium, and accordingly, England fetched 58 runs off the first six overs. While Buttler maintained the streak for him for a slow 25-run game to compliment Salt. Both laid solid foundations that ensured run-rate would never be an issue. 
Moeen’s pick turned England on track
England’s move to take a chance to send Moeen Ali at No.3 was a big gamble. Considering the pitch was slowing down, that move made sense but was a big risk of shuffling the order at the last moment. This move paid them off well as Moeen Ali was off the mark with a glorious sweep shot off the parsimonious Gudakesh Motie (0/32), before reverse-paddling the final ball of Motie’s second over for his second boundary. Off the back of his bat and all. Although, he made 13 runs but helped England see off a crucial spell.
Salt’s middle flourish
Philip Salt is going through a form of his life and against the West Indies’ he single-handedly took England home. Marking the only half-century of the match and accelerating the run chase, Salt bashed his 50 off just 38 balls. Salt is often seen as a power play basher but the Englishman has improved his play against spinners which has taken his game to next level. His dominance in the middle overs was one of big highlights which guided England to home easily.
Bairstow and Salt carnage
Pitches in the Caribbean have been a lot of dicey games that can change anytime. The famous theory of one brings two works perfectly but with two wickets down Bairstow and Salt decided to take all of the drama out of the game and get the job done. Particularly Salt who smashed Romario Shepherd for 30 runs in an over to help his side be on the winning side as the former champions won the T20 World Cup 2024 game by eight wickets. Salt smashed an unbeaten 87-run knock, while Bairstow also played an aggressive knock of 48 off 26.
Phil Salt and Jonny Bairstow’s carnage left the West Indies in utter disbelief. With breathtaking shots across the boundary, England sealed the victory over their name and conceded an 8-wicket defeat with 15 balls to spare. The team showcased phenomenal batting as well as on-the-track bowling tactics.
With the win England is off the mark in the Super Eight after a bumpy ride in group stage. Having squeaked into the second stage on net run rate, England will take a huge boost of confidence from beating one of the in-form teams at the tournament to top Group 2 with South Africa, who they meet at the same ground on Friday.
The Parimatch odds for that clash for England are at 1.80x rate. West Indies on the other hand will be disappointed with their bowling effort. They will meet in the USA on 22 June. The Parimatch odds on the West Indies for that clash are at a 1.21x rate.
