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NEW DELHI: Skipper Jos Buttler struck an explosive 45-ball 83 powering England to a commanding seven-wicket victory over the West Indies in the second T20I in Barbados on Sunday.
The stunning Buttler blitz helped England take a 2-0 lead in the 5-match series.
The West Indies, sent in to bat first, posted a total of 158 for eight. England then hunted down the target comfortably, reaching 161 for three in just 14.4 overs.
Buttler played a breathtaking innings, smashing eight fours and six sixes, leaving spectators in awe of his power-hitting.
The skipper’s exceptional batting display earned him the well-deserved “Man of the Match” award.
“It was scratchy for the first couple of balls but when I got going I really enjoyed it. It was great to be back out there,” said Buttler.
England’s chase got off to a shaky start when Phil Salt was dismissed on the first ball of the innings by spinner Akeal Hosein. However, Buttler’s arrival at the crease injected immediate momentum into the innings.
The Windies bowling attack, missing key players like Alzarri Joseph and Andre Russell, struggled to contain Buttler’s onslaught.
Debutant seamer Terrance Hinds, in particular, had a challenging introduction to international cricket, facing the brunt of Buttler’s aggression.
Buttler seemed destined for his second T20I century. However, after being dropped by Sherfane Rutherford at extra cover off Romario Shepherd in the 13th over, he was caught out on the very next ball, attempting another big shot.
Will Jacks provided solid support to Buttler during their 129-run partnership for the second wicket. Jacks contributed 38 runs off 29 balls, hitting five fours and one six, before falling to Romario Shepherd.
Shepherd claimed two wickets for the hosts, dismissing both Jacks and Buttler. Matthew Forde took a well-judged catch at long-off to dismiss Jacks while captain Rovman Powell held on to a catch at the same position to end Buttler’s innings.
Earlier, the West Indies innings were bolstered by Rovman Powell’s knock of 43 off 41 balls and Romario Shepherd’s quickfire 22 off 12 balls.
Liam Livingstone was the pick of the England bowlers, finishing with figures of two for 16. Livingstone also chipped in with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 23 runs off 11 balls to see England home.
The match was played on a surface that had been affected by rain earlier in the day. The steady rain prompted the use of the heavy roller before the start of play.
England’s dominant performance puts them in a strong position to secure a series victory in the remaining three matches, which will be played in St. Lucia, starting next Thursday. The victory also offers England a chance to avenge their 2-1 defeat to the West Indies in the preceding ODI series.
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