England’s Jos Buttler unleashed a blistering 83 off 45 balls to power his team to a commanding seven-wicket victory over the West Indies in the second T20I in Barbados. The victory gives England a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Buttler’s innings was a masterclass in power-hitting, as he smashed eight fours and six sixes to leave the West Indies bowlers helpless. The skipper’s exceptional batting display earned him the well-deserved “Man of the Match” award.
England’s chase got off to a shaky start when Phil Salt was dismissed on the first ball of the innings. However, Buttler’s arrival at the crease injected immediate momentum into the innings. The Windies bowling attack, missing key players like Alzarri Joseph and Andre Russell, struggled to contain Buttler’s onslaught.
Debutant seamer Terrance Hinds, in particular, had a challenging introduction to international cricket, facing the brunt of Buttler’s aggression. Buttler seemed destined for his second T20I century, but after being dropped by Sherfane Rutherford in the 13th over, he was caught out on the very next ball, attempting another big shot.
Will Jacks provided solid support to Buttler during their 129-run partnership for the second wicket. Jacks contributed 38 runs off 29 balls, hitting five fours and one six, before falling to Romario Shepherd.
Earlier, the West Indies innings were bolstered by Rovman Powell’s knock of 43 off 41 balls and Romario Shepherd’s quickfire 22 off 12 balls. Liam Livingstone was the pick of the England bowlers, finishing with figures of two for 16.
England’s dominant performance puts them in a strong position to secure a series victory in the remaining three matches, which will be played in St. Lucia, starting next Thursday. The victory also offers England a chance to avenge their 2-1 defeat to the West Indies in the preceding ODI series.
