In Bristol, England, the national cricket team celebrated a significant series achievement on Sunday, with captain Harry Brook commending the squad’s strong camaraderie after clinching their second series victory in a span of just 11 days.
The team secured a win over the West Indies in the second Twenty20 international by four wickets, achieving the win with nine balls to spare. England managed to score 199-6 in 18.3 overs, surpassing the West Indies’ total of 196 after losing the toss.
Brook has maintained an undefeated streak against the West Indies, securing five consecutive wins since stepping into the captaincy role from Jos Buttler. His success includes a dominant 3-0 sweep in recent one-day international matches.
Despite encountering challenges in Bristol, where the required run rate climbed beyond 11 per over at one point, England’s players remained united. Key contributions from five of the top six batsmen guided them to victory, with significant late innings from Jacob Bethell and Tom Banton, who scored 56 runs off just 21 deliveries combined, thwarting the West Indian challenge. Once again, Buttler stood out with the bat, top-scoring with 47 runs from 36 deliveries. Previously, he had scored 96 as England triumphed by 21 runs in the opening match of the series last Friday.
This type of victory contrasts with games in recent times, marking a deviation from the team’s struggling performances under Buttler’s leadership, which concluded in eight successive defeats across both white-ball formats.
Prior to this series, England’s white-ball dominance over the West Indies was evident in their outright victories in the ODI encounters, yet anticipation loomed for a tougher battle, given the visitors’ reputed strength in the T20 format.
The West Indies had a late flurry in their innings, amassing 47 runs from the final two overs, notably capitalizing on an expensive over by Adil Rashid, who conceded sixes and few extras in the 19th over alone. Jason Holder scored an explosive 29* with three consecutive sixes and Romario Shepherd added two more.
The West Indies’ innings was bolstered by their skipper, Shai Hope, who top-scored with a solid 38-ball 49, including four sixes. In partnership with Johnson Charles, Hope put on an impressive 89-run stand for the second wicket, offsetting the early loss of Evin Lewis. Luke Wood, with figures of 2-25 from four overs, claimed Lewis’ wicket on the first ball and dismissed Johnson Charles after a brisk 39-ball 47.
Returning to the squad, West Indies welcomed back Akeal Hosein, their second-ranked T20 bowler, although his impact was limited to 1-33. Immigration delays due to recent changes in the UK’s visa requirements for Trinidad and Tobago nationals had affected his availability for the first match.
England’s playing XI saw minor tweaks, with Wood replacing Matthew Potts. The final match of the T20 series is set to take place in Southampton on Tuesday, bringing an opportunity for England to secure a clean sweep.