England 183/2 (Phil Salt 103, Bethell 58) beat West Indies 182/9 (Pooran 38, Shepherd 35*, Motie 33, Mahmood 4/34) by eight wickets.
Phil Salt’s brilliant unbeaten century guided England to a dominant eight-wicket win over West Indies, taking a 1-0 lead in their five-match T20I series in Barbados.
Saqib Mahmood starred with career-best figures of 4/34, including three wickets in the powerplay and a crucial final over. Despite West Indies struggling at 117/8, they fought back with key partnerships to set England a challenging target.
Nicholas Pooran top-scored for the hosts with 38, sharing a rapid 41-run stand with captain Rovman Powell. Pooran and Andre Russell added 39 off 26 balls, while tailenders Gudakesh Motie and Romario Shepherd’s 49 off 26 lifted West Indies past 180.
However, Salt’s remarkable 103* off 54 balls, which included five consecutive boundaries off Shamar Joseph, put England on top from the start. His fifty came off just 25 balls, and he added three sixes along the way, including two off Motie’s first over.
Phil Salt found strong support from Jacob Bethell, who scored a fluent 58* off 36 balls. The two shared a 107-run unbeaten stand, with Bethell raising his maiden T20I fifty. Salt reached his third T20I century, all of them against West Indies in the Caribbean, and sealed victory with four runs down the ground, with 3.1 overs to spare.
Saqib Mahmood played a key role with the ball, dismissing Brandon King early before taking two wickets in quick succession to reduce West Indies to 58/3. Mahmood’s comeback after a long injury layoff showed his class, as he took three wickets in just two overs. Despite conceding some runs later, including 18 in his final over, he had already done enough to put England in control.
Reece Topley, playing with a knee injury, bowled 15 balls before being forced off the field. Adil Rashid took key wickets, including Powell and Rutherford, while Buttler took two spectacular catches behind the stumps.
West Indies fought valiantly, with Russell and Pooran putting on 69 for the fifth wicket, but the target proved too much. Motie’s explosive 33 off 14 balls, which included two sixes, briefly threatened, but Mahmood’s fourth wicket sealed the win for England.
In the end, West Indies’ 182/9 wasn’t enough to stop Salt and Bethell’s dominant chase, as England cruised to a comfortable eight-wicket victory.
