BRIDGETOWN, Barbados — England’s captain Jos Buttler made a significant comeback from his long-term injury layoff, scoring an impressive 83 runs in a seven-wicket triumph over West Indies. This victory occurred during the second Twenty20 international match on Sunday, where England secured a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Buttler’s explosive performance included six sixes and eight fours, all compiled within just 45 balls, contributing to England’s final score of 161-3 with 31 balls remaining.
In a remarkable twist, Phil Salt, who had notched an unbeaten century in the first T20 match, was dismissed for a duck on the very first ball of England’s innings. However, Buttler, who also faced a first-ball dismissal in the preceding match, quickly redeemed himself by finishing as England’s top scorer the following day. After a prolonged absence due to a calf injury that kept him sidelined since June, Buttler made his return in this series, winning crucial tosses that allowed England to bowl first and effectively chase down their targets.
Guided by Buttler, England surpassed the West Indies’ score of 158-8. He entered the crease with England at 0-1 and formed a formidable partnership with Will Jacks, who contributed 38 runs off 29 balls for the second wicket. Buttler reached his half-century in just 32 balls, hitting one of his sixes off Gudakesh Motie that soared out of Kensington Oval and landed in the street outside. “It’s fantastic to spend time in the middle,” said Buttler. “I felt a bit shaky initially, but managed to find my rhythm. I really enjoyed it, and it’s wonderful to be back.”
Both Jacks and Buttler were dismissed in the 13th over, leaving England at 130-3. Nevertheless, Liam Livingstone, with 23 not out, and Jacob Bethell, who finished with 3 not out, steered England to victory, with Livingstone ending the chase with a six on the fifth ball of the 15th over.
On the West Indies’ side, captain Rovman Powell was the top scorer with his 41-ball effort of 43, but overall, the team’s batting fell short. The hosts faced a shaky start, losing three wickets during the power play, echoing their struggles from the first match of the series. Saqib Mahmood excelled at the beginning of the innings, supported by Jofra Archer, who stepped in for the injured Reece Topley. Mahmood dismissed Brandon King in the second over and Roston Chase in the fourth, while Archer took Evin Lewis out early in the third over, leaving West Indies struggling at 35-3 and then 44-3 by the end of the power play.
Nicholas Pooran and Powell managed to stabilize the innings, reaching 63-3 after the tenth over. However, Livingstone claimed a crucial wicket by having Pooran stumped for 14 runs as the score moved to 70. He followed up by dismissing Sherfane Rutherford for just a single run after a successful review overturned the initial not-out call. Powell, alongside Romario Shepherd, who added 22 runs off 12 balls, helped the team reach a respectable total.
The third match of this exciting series is set to take place at Gros Islet, St. Lucia, on Thursday.