West Indies vs England: Jos Buttler’s stunning 83 leads tourists to seven-wicket win and 2-0 series lead in Barbados | Cricket News

November 11, 2024:

Captain Jos Buttler scored a brilliant 83 and put on a game-changing partnership with Will Jacks to guide England to a seven-wicket win over the West Indies and move 2-0 up in the five-match T20 series.

Saqib Mahmood (2-20) and the returning Jofra Archer (1-31) despatched West Indies’ top order in the power play, with Liam Livingstone (2-16) also impressing to leave the hosts struggling at 80-5 after losing the toss and being put into bat.

Rovman Powell’s 43 was ended by Dan Mousley (2-29) but the hosts added 73 runs from the final six overs to post 158-8, with hopes of a victory raised when Phil Salt – who fired an unbeaten century in the series opener – was out from the opening ball of England’s chase.

England's Phil Salt walks off the field dismissed on the first ball during the second T20 cricket match against West Indies at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
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Phil Salt was out with the opening ball England’s innings, having scored an unbeaten 103 in the series opener

Buttler fired six maximums in his stunning 45-ball innings and put on a 129-run second-wicket stand with Jacks (38), before Liam Livingstone smashed a rapid unbeaten 23 to see England reach their victory target inside 15 overs.

How England raced to another Barbados win

Mahmood conceded eight wides from his opening 10-ball over but made England’s breakthrough when Brandon King (one) skied to Livingstone at mid-off, with Evin Lewis (eight) then gloving Archer – replacing Reece Topley from Saturday’s win – behind and giving Salt an easy catch in the next over.

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Jofra Archer was among five England bowlers used to take at least one wicket

Roston Chase narrowly avoided edging his first ball to Jamie Overton at slip but was trapped lbw by Mahmood for 13 to leave West Indies 35-3 inside four overs, leaving keeper Nicholas Pooran and captain Powell to rebuild the hosts’ innings.

The pair added 35 for the fourth wicket before Pooran (14) prodded forward at Livingstone and presented a simple stumping for Salt, with Livingstone also removing Rutherford (one) lbw in his next over after a successful review.

Powell (43) showed attacking intent by hitting Rashid for 16 from one over, taking the hosts past 100, only to see his innings ended by a brilliant yorker from Dan Mousley to give the fast-bowling spinner his first international wicket.

West Indies' captain Rovman Powell plays a shot against England during the second T20 cricket match at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
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West Indies captain Rovman Powell, who has a T20
strike-rate in excess of 140, scored 43 from 41 balls

Gudakesh Motie (nine) departed when Overton charged in from long on to take a diving catch off Rashid, while Shepherd (22) picked out Jacks in the deep off Mousley early in the final over, with Matthew Forde finishing unbeaten on 13 as the West Indies finished strongly.

Hosein (1-24) made the dream start to England’s innings when Salt chipped to King at extra cover for a golden duck, with Buttler almost toe-ending onto his leg stump during an eventful opening over.

England quickly recovered and Buttler fired three consecutive boundaries as part of a 23-run over to end the powerplay, with Jacks also impressing as the pair passed their half-century stand inside 33 balls.

England's captain Jos Buttler plays a shot for four runs from the bowling of Romario Shepherd during the second T20 cricket match at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
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Jos Buttler scored eight fours and six maximums during an impressive innings

Buttler hit Motie out of the ground for a maximum and smashed Chase over the rope in the next over to bring up his 32-ball half-century, with another big six over long-on off debutant Terrance Hinds continuing England’s control of the contest.

Chase was smashed for successive sixes by Buttler, who then hit him low down the ground for a boundary, before the partnership was ended when Forde took a catch at the second attempt after being picked out by Jacks.

Buttler was dropped by Rutherford in the same over but was out the next ball after trying to hit down the ground and being caught by Powell, a second wicket in four balls, although the hosts were unable to make any further inroads in England’s batting line-up.

Livingstone crunched Shepherd for successive boundaries before closing out a second comprehensive victory in as many days with another big six, seeing England home with 31 balls to spare and meaning they can now wrap up a series success with a win in St Lucia on Thursday.

West Indies vs England schedule (all times UK and Ireland)

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