Phil Salt slammed a belligerent unbeaten 87 as defending champions England started their T20 World Cup Tremendous Eights marketing campaign with a crushing eight-wicket win over the West Indies in St Lucia. Coming off a scorching show towards Afghanistan, West Indies amassed a aggressive 180 for 4, however England waltzed to 181 for 2 in 17.3 overs of their Group 2 match. Salt led their cost with a bruising innings that got here off 47 balls with seven fours and 5 sixes. The opener obtained copious assist from Jonny Bairstow (48*).
However equal quantity of credit score needs to be given to the English bowlers too for producing as many as 51 dot balls with Jofra Archer (1/34) and Adil Rashid (1/21) accounting for 22 of them of their tidy spells.
Salt made full use of his reprieve by Nicholas Pooran on seven to cart the Windies bowlers round within the firm of Bairstow because the Englishmen collectively milked 97 runs from 44 balls for the third wicket, whereas negotiating the hosts’ spin assault within the center overs.
After a sedate begin, England broke free within the second over when skipper Jos Buttler struck two boundaries off Romario Sheperd to take 12 runs. Salt then got here to his personal, hammering an Andre Russell slower one for a six.
The duo continued their assault and Salt completed the facility play smashing Alzarri Joseph for a 4 and a six to carry England to 58 for no loss in six overs, the very best powerplay rating by any staff towards the Caribbeans on this match.
Off-spinner Roston Chase lastly gave the breakthrough when he seen Buttler stepping ahead and speared in a 108.9 kph supply to catch the England skipper off guard.
The ball hit him laborious and low on the entrance pad to be trapped leg earlier than but it surely was a minor aberration as England pressed ahead with dedication in the direction of a win.
Earlier, Windies acquired off to a splendid begin as Brandon King and Johnson Charles opened with authority. The pair had the Windies flying at 40 for no loss within the fifth over, earlier than they had been hit with a merciless blow.
Trying to drive Sam Curran down the bottom, King (23; 13b) picked up what seemed to be a facet pressure and needed to retire harm.
The in-form Pooran joined Charles on the crease, lifting them to 54 within the power-play Pooran smoked Mark Wooden for a leg-side six to start out the eighth over, however England managed to tighten the screws after the drinks.
That was the ultimate boundary earlier than the mid-innings break.
Charles then ended a short lull by smashing Rashid for a six.
However within the subsequent over, England struck with Moeen Ali dismissing Charles (38; 34b), who holed out to Harry Brook at long-on.
Captain Rovman Powell took on off-spinner Ali with a most and went on to smash Liam Livingstone for 3 sixes in 5 balls in a 20-run over.
However Livingstone had the final giggle, choosing up the essential wicket of Powell (36 off 17) off his final supply.
The English discovered some battle within the last 5 overs.
Archer discovered the sting of Pooran’s bat, because the heavy hitter eliminated for 36 off 32. Rutherford then dominated the strike in the previous few overs to carry their whole however that was not sufficient for them.
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