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England Clinch T20I Series Against West Indies as Buttler, Brook, Bethell & Banton Shine
England Seal Series 2-0 with Thrilling Chase in Dundee
England’s powerful batting lineup, led by Jos Buttler, proved too much for West Indies once again as the hosts chased down a formidable 196-run target to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series at Forthill, Dundee. The middle-order brilliance of Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, and Tom Banton backed Buttler’s aggressive start, guiding England to a four-wicket victory with nine balls remaining.
Buttler and Duckett Lay the Foundation
Ben Duckett and Jos Buttler gave England the ideal launchpad during the PowerPlay. Duckett took on Akeal Hosein and Romario Shepherd, while Buttler counter-attacked Alzarri Joseph and Jason Holder. Together, they ensured England kept up with the required run rate, reaching 58/1 at the end of six overs.
Though Duckett fell in the eighth over to Shepherd, Buttler remained composed and found a reliable partner in Harry Brook. The pair navigated the middle phase cautiously, finishing the 10-over mark at 87/2.
Brook’s Blitz Changes the Tempo
Pressure started building after a tidy over from Gudakesh Motie, but Brook shifted gears immediately after. In a pivotal over bowled by Shepherd, Brook smashed a six over backward point, followed by two more boundaries — a cover drive and a lucky edge — collecting 20 crucial runs.
Soon after, both Buttler and Brook departed in quick succession, but England found new heroes in Jacob Bethell and Tom Banton, who counter-attacked fearlessly.
Bethell and Banton Finish the Job
England’s Middle Order Shows Its Might
Bethell and Banton took over seamlessly, bringing the equation down from 62 off 36 to 28 off 24. The highlight was Banton’s explosive over against Alzarri Joseph, where he slammed three sixes — over square leg, straight down the ground, and over extra cover — in a whirlwind 10-ball 26-run cameo. His dismissal came at the end of the over, but his job was done.
With only two runs needed off two overs, Brydon Carse hit the winning boundary in the 19th over, sealing the match and the series.
➡️ Related Read: Top T20I Finishes of 2024
West Indies Put Up a Fight with the Bat
Hope and Charles Steady the Ship
Earlier, West Indies posted a challenging 196/6. Despite losing Evin Lewis to Luke Wood on the very first ball, Shai Hope (49 off 38) and Johnson Charles (47 off 39) ensured stability. The pair added 88 runs for the second wicket but at a relatively slow pace, which affected their final total.
Once Hope fell to Adil Rashid and Charles to Wood, the innings was rescued by Rovman Powell and Jason Holder in the death overs.
Holder and Shepherd Go Big in the Final Overs
Rovman Powell kickstarted the acceleration with a 20-run over off Liam Dawson. But the most brutal assault came against Rashid in the 18th over. Jason Holder smashed the first three balls for sixes, and Romario Shepherd followed with two more, collecting 30 runs from the over.
The final over from Luke Wood also went for 16 runs, with a six from Roston Chase taking the total to 196. Though a strong total, it wasn’t enough against England’s deep batting lineup.
➡️ Full Scorecard on ESPNcricinfo
Match Summary
West Indies: 196/6 in 20 overs
(Shai Hope 49, Johnson Charles 48, Rovman Powell 34, Jason Holder 29*; Luke Wood 2-25)
England: 199/6 in 18.3 overs
(Jos Buttler 47, Harry Brook 34, Tom Banton 30*, Jacob Bethell 26)
Result: England won by 4 wickets
