In a thrilling encounter at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground, West Indies pulled off a remarkable five-wicket victory over England in the fourth T20I, narrowing the series deficit to 3-1.
England, who had already secured the series, opted to bat first and posted a formidable total of 218/6. Phil Salt (55) and Will Jacks (54) provided a solid start, while Jacob Bethell’s unbeaten 62 and Sam Curran’s late cameo of 24 propelled the visitors to a challenging score.
West Indies bowlers Alzarri Joseph, Rehan Ahmed, and Roston Chase claimed crucial wickets, but England’s batters took advantage of the favorable batting conditions.
In response, West Indies openers Shai Hope and Evin Lewis unleashed a blistering assault, putting on a 136-run partnership. Hope reached his half-century in just 23 balls, while Lewis smashed seven sixes in his 26-ball 68.
England fought back with three quick wickets, but West Indies captain Rovman Powell (38) and Sharfane Rutherford (29) steadied the innings. Rutherford sealed the victory in style, smashing two sixes off Dan Mousley in the penultimate over to ensure the hosts reached the target with six balls to spare.
“Guys were more committed today,” said Powell after the match. “The team showed a lot of fight, and 3-2 looks much better than 4-1. We’ll aim to finish strong tomorrow.”
England captain Jos Buttler acknowledged the quality of the contest despite the loss. “I thought we had a great start and posted a strong score, but they played exceptionally well to chase it down,” he said.
The fifth and final T20I takes place on Sunday, with West Indies aiming to end the series on a high.
