WI vs ENG, 1st T20I: Andre Russell’s all-round heroics on comeback help West Indies script record chase

West Indies continued their strong run in T20Is as they began the 5-match T20I series against world champions England at home with a resounding win.

At the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Tuesday, December 12. In a rain-affected match that went late into the evening, comeback man Andre Russell stole the show, putting in a Player of the Match-winning performance.

After limiting a power-packed England batting unit to 171 in 19.3 overs, West Indies successfully chased down the target with 4 wickets and 11 balls to spare. There was a rain delay during West Indies’s chase but the hosts did not let go of the control that they had over the proceedings when they returned and got the job done.

It was a new T20I record in Barbados as West Indies scripted their highest successful chase at the venue (172), going past their previous best of 155 against the same opposition in 2014. West Indies have taken the first step toward winning their third successive bilateral T20I series under Rovman Powell’s captaincy. They had beaten South Africa 2-1 in South Africa and beaten India at home 3-2 earlier in the year.

For England, the ongoing tour of South Africa has been far from impressive. Jos Buttler’s men had lost the ODI series 2-1 earlier in the month.

RUSSELL SHOW AFTER 2 YEARS
The star of the show for West Indies on Tuesday was Andre Russell, who played a T20I for the first time since the T20 World Cup in 2021. Backed to be in the side ahead of next June’s T20 World Cup, Russell did not let down the backing from his captain Powell and head coach Darren Sammy, who looked elated watching the turn of events from the dressing room.

Andre Russell was the pick of the West Indies’s bowlers as he finished with 3 wickets and conceded just 19 runs in his 4-over spell. With the ball, Russell aced the finisher’s role, smashing 29 from just 14 balls to steer West Indies out of a tricky situation.

Russell was instrumental in breaking the dangerous England opening partnership ass Phil Salt and captain Buttler added 77 runs in the first 6 overs after they were sent into bat.

Salt was going after the West Indies new-ball bowlers for his 20-ball 40, which included a six and 6 boundaries. However, Russell struck in the first over after the powerplay to get Salt.

Russell also returned in the 19th over of the contest to get the dangerous Liam Livingstone, who was looking set to go big in the end overs. The Punjab Kings star had hit 27, including 2 sixes off 19 balls, before Russell got him.

Russell used all his experience to choke the England batters and get the crucial wickets at crucial junctures.

Buttler hit 39 off 31 and Livingstone chipped in with 27 but West Indies bowlers did not allow England to run away with it.

Young Alzarri Joseph also picked 3 wickets for 54 runs in 3.3 overs while Romario Shepherd was top-class with figures of 2 for 22 in his 4-over quota.

DREAMS DO COME TRUE
“Life is so funny Bish. When I got selected for the West Indies team, I kept dreaming for 2 weeks, since I got the call-up… I was dreaming that I would be the Man of the Match in the first game. I didn’t know how it would happen, but I kept believing. And it has happened tonight,” an elated Andre Russell said after bagging the award.

West Indies slipped to 123 for 6 in the 15th over as 19-year-old leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed struck in successive deliveries, removing a well-set Shai Hope (36) and big-hitter Romario (0).

However, captain Rovman Powell kept the charge going and got good support from Russell as the two made sure they were in the middle till the end.

Powell smashed 2 sixes and 3 boundaries for his unbeaten 31 from 15 balls while Russell hit the winning runs in the 19th over.

West Indies got a great start from Kyle Mayers and Brandon King, who made 22 in just 12 balls. Mayers hit 4 sixes, taking the attack to the two England leg-spinners in Rehan and Adil Rashid for his 21-ball 35.

Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer did not get going, but West Indies had enough firepower to clinch the win.

The two teams will play the 2nd T20I in Grenada on December 14.