West Indies secured a 3-2 victory against England as Shai Hope's six sealed a dramatic win in the final T20I. Hope's unbeaten 43 off as many balls steered the Windies to a hard-fought 133 for 6 after Gudakesh Motie's impressive bowling performance restricted England to 132.
There's a revival brewing in the Caribbean. Since their disappointing exit from the T20 World Cup in Australia, the West Indies have won all three T20I series under Rovman Powell's leadership. They triumphed 3-2 against India in Daren Sammy's initial T20I series as the white-ball coach, followed by a similar win against the defending champions.
This final match at Tarouba showcased a contrasting low-scoring affair from the previous game at Trinidad's Brian Lara Cricket Academy. Despite the familiar pitch, it culminated in a nail-biting finish after a remarkable contrast in run counts from the previous encounter.
Shai Hope's composed innings and England's late batting collapse defined this match. England, after being sent in, lost their last six wickets for a mere 22 runs, sealing their fate with a series loss in both the ODI and T20I segments of the tour.
Phil Salt's stellar performances in the series couldn't rescue England, despite his impressive batting display earlier. His attempt to propel England to a substantial total was short-lived as Windies' spinners, Motie and Hosein, took control during the middle overs.
England struggled to adapt to the pitch's nature, allowing the Windies' spin duo to dominate. Their lower order faltered, and despite a brief resistance from Liam Livingstone, England was bowled out for just 132.
Hope anchored the Windies' innings while Sherfane Rutherford's cameo supported the chase. A nail-biting finish ensued, with Powell and Russell's efforts leading to a single run off the first five balls of the 19th over. Holder's crucial inside-edge left six required off five balls, which Hope decisively achieved by smashing Woakes for a boundary, igniting celebratory scenes that continued late into the night.
Key Players: Shai Hope, Rovman Powell, Phil Salt, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford.
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