Sherfane Rutherford

Sherfane Rutherford made his mark in emphatic fashion, as he hammered an unbeaten 30 off just 18 balls to assist Gujarat Titans to a commanding eight-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Chasing 203, Will Jacks put England into the ascendancy with a sparkling 73 off 72 balls, including four sixes and six fours, but his downfall left the tourists wobbling on 116 for four in the 20th over.

Buttler, who had been averaging 14.1 since the start of a miserable World Cup for himself and his team, gradually bloomed and his unbeaten 58 off 45 deliveries – his first fifty in 14 ODIs – sealed England’s six-wicket win.

Harry Brook finished on 43 not out as England prevailed with 17.1 overs to spare although the architect of them ensuring a decider in Barbados on Saturday was Curran, who took three for 33 in seven overs.

Having recorded the most expensive figures by an England bowler in Sunday’s four-wicket defeat, leaking 98 runs in 9.5 overs, the left-arm seamer snared top-order trio Keacy Carty, Brandon King and Shimron Hetmyer.

After the Windies lurched to 23 for four, captain Shai Hope did his bit for nominative determinism, following up his match-winning ton a few days ago with a run-a-ball 68 and rookie Sherfane Rutherford chipped in with 63 before the pair were dismissed by Liam Livingstone, who took three for 39.

Curran was initially wayward again and belted for three fours by King but an opening stand that put on 104 on Sunday was snuffed out for 15 here after Gus Atkinson scythed through Alick Athanaze, with England’s review for caught behind showing a big snick on UltraEdge.

Curran’s fortunes shifted as angled deliveries took the edges of Carty and King to Zak Crawley before Hetmyer was rapped on the back pad by a fuller ball. The not-out verdict was overturned after Ben Duckett seemed to persuade Buttler into sending the decision upstairs.

Curran’s three wickets in eight balls left Hope and Rutherford, in his second ODI, with a mountainous rebuild. A 129-run stand followed as smoke from the barbecue vendors beyond the stands occasionally drifted across the ground, Hope settling with three straight driven fours in an Atkinson over.

Brydon Carse was taken the distance by Hope as the partnership grew, with both Windies batters going past fifties, Rutherford doing so with a mighty heave off the otherwise parsimonious Rehan Ahmed.

Having been held back until the 26th over, Livingstone broke the union when Rutherford drove loosely to Phil Salt in the ring while Yannic Cariah was castled through the gate by a floaty off-spinner.

Livingstone had the big fish with a precision piece of bowling, his leg-spinner leaving Hope in two minds, missing an indeterminate prod and his off-stump as a consequence.

Livingstone’s figures were dented by Romario Shepherd’s four fours in an over but the Windies subsided after he holed out to Rehan, whose figures of 10-1-40-2 were identical to what he recorded on Sunday.

Despite tricky conditions, Salt and Jacks were authoritative from the off, evoking the spirit of predecessors Jason Roy and first Alex Hales then Jonny Bairstow.

The pair rode their luck, edging wide of slip off Alzarri Joseph before Salt’s luck ran out on 21, bowled by Shepherd, after a 50-run stand.

The early battle between Joseph and Jacks was worth the entry fee alone. A rising snorter took Jacks’ glove and ballooned over Hope but the opener responded by hammering over backward square-leg and then repeated the trick off Shepherd. Jacks then smeared Oshane Thomas over backward point for a third six.

Crawley chopped on off Gudakesh Motie, who found the glove when Duckett went for a customary sweep before Brook edged agonisingly short of slip from his first ball as tension crept in.

Nerves may have been jangling when Jacks was lbw to one that kept low from Rutherford, bringing out Buttler, who had been dismissed for single figures in five of his previous eight innings.

He made a cagey start and was beaten twice on the outside edge by leg-spinner Cariah but he steadily grew in confidence alongside Brook.

A whipped four off Joseph was followed by a skip down the track and thump for back-to-back sixes off Cariah as Buttler started to find some rhythm.

The second of those monstrous blows was measured at 94 metres before another mighty mow off Thomas brought up a 43-ball half-century. Buttler took 16 off that Thomas over to level the scores.

It was left to Brook to get over the line and he did so by sweeping Motie behind square for four in the 33rd over.

Three days on from being belted for 98 in 9.5 overs – the most expensive ODI figures by an England bowler – Curran snared top-order trio Brandon King, Keacy Carty and Shimron Hetmyer.

Windies captain Shai Hope did his bit for nominative determinism after his side had slipped to 23 for four, following up his match-winning hundred in the series opener with a crucial 68 at the same venue.

Hope put on 129 in 138 balls with Sherfane Rutherford but Liam Livingstone took out both en route to figures of 6-0-39-3 to make sure Curran’s three for 33 were not wasted on a fresh strip.

The England all-rounders endured a poor World Cup, with Livingstone averaging 10 with the bat while Curran was dropped after three anonymous performances and his woes followed him to the Caribbean.

But England persisted with the pair and named an unchanged side from the one beaten by four wickets on Sunday, and were rewarded as they look to take this series to a decider in Barbados on Saturday.

Curran was driven for fours in each of his first three overs by King but Gus Atkinson made the breakthrough by jagging one back through Alick Athanaze. It appeared the ball missed everything en route to a diving Jos Buttler but England’s review was vindicated by a snick on UltraEdge.

A partnership that put on 104 at the weekend was snuffed out for 15 and it got better for England as Carty aimed a cross-batted shot at Curran only to top-edge through to Zak Crawley at slip.

The duo combined again as Curran gained revenge over King following an indeterminate push while the left-arm seamer had big-hitting left-hander Hetmyer lbw later in the over.

Buttler was persuaded to review by Ben Duckett after Hetmyer was pinned on the back pad by a fuller delivery and HawkEye predicted the ball would have clattered into leg-stump.

Having lost their first four wickets in 20 balls, the Windies relied on skipper Hope and Rutherford, in his second ODI, to rebuild. Hope drove fluently and took three straight fours off Atkinson in the over while his more junior partner was initially content to swim in his captain’s slipstream.

Will Jacks was given his first bowl of the series, having been curiously overlooked on Sunday, but conceded 27 in four innocuous overs while Brydon Carse was belted back over his head for six.

As the smoke from the barbecue vendors beyond the stands drifted across the ground, the partnership had extended well into three figures, with both batters going past 50 before Livingstone, held back until the 26th over, ended the union as Rutherford drove loosely to Phil Salt in the ring.

Yannic Cariah was then castled through the gate by a floaty off-spinner from Livingstone, who produced a precision piece of bowling to leave Hope in two minds as he was beaten through bat and pad.

Livingstone had his figures spoiled slightly as Romario Shepherd took four fours in five balls off the all-rounder before perishing in the deep for 19 after looking to take down Rehan Ahmed.

The Windies got past 200 but they had 10 overs unused as Atkinson bookended the innings, taking a return catch after Alzarri Joseph top-edged straight up in the air.

The Amazon Warriors won the toss and opted to bat first and posted a very challenging 166-3 buttressed by a sparkling partnership between Mohammed Hafeez and Shimron Hetmyer.

In reply, the Patriots fired once more with the bat to chase down the target led by Sherfane Rutherford’s unbeaten 59 from 34 balls.

The Amazon Warriors had paced their innings superbly and they had Hafeez to thank, his 70 runs from 59 balls anchored the innings allowing Hetmyer to play his natural game.

The pair put on a 101-run partnership from 67 deliveries, but both fell in successive balls in the 18th over. Nicholas Pooran and Brandon King then scrambled some late runs to ensure the Amazon Warriors posted their highest score of the tournament so far.

A target of 167 looked like a hard task, but the Patriots openers Evin Lewis and Devon Thomas laid the foundation for the chase with an opening stand of 69.

The introduction of Imran Tahir proved crucial for the Amazon Warriors as he removed both openers to swing the game back in their favour.

However, the heroes from the Patriots opening game, Rutherford and Dwayne Bravo forged another match-winning partnership to bring the Patriots to the verge of victory.

Bravo was dismissed with 18 runs still needed but Rutherford made light work of the equation with his second 50 of the tournament to seal a memorable win.

Batting first Desert Vipers made 178-7 from their 20 overs before restricting the Gulf Giants to 159 all out off 19.4 overs.

Put into bat, the Vipers had a shaky start, losing their first three wickets for just 33 runs but they recovered to post a winning score in large part due to the heroics of Sherfane Rutherford, who returned to the field despite a painful hamstring injury to score 37 off 19 deliveries including three consecutive sixes off David Wiese.

Tom Curran shared a 52-run partnership with Rutherford, contributing a valuable 29 runs, and he took four wickets as well, earning him the Player of the Match award.

“Rutherford is in a bit of pain with his injury. Not sure how long he will be out for with his injury. I didn’t expect him to come back on the field like he did to be honest. But he showed great courage, and I think it is the environment we have created within the Desert Vipers, that (makes) people want to go out and perform for the team,” said team captain Colin Munro.

“The courage he showed to come out and bat on one leg was the turning point of the game. He hit the ball beautifully and changed the whole momentum of the game and put us in the driver’s seat. That was a great knock from him.”

 Munro also praised Curran and Wanindu Hasaranga for the impact they had on the match.

 “I think Tom Curran is a genuine all-rounder now. He used to be a bowler who could also bat at around number eight, but since coming into the Vipers he has been given the chance to go in at six and seven and show what he can do,” Munro said.

 “Hasaranga is a world class player, and he is up (the top) in the ICC T20 rankings, and he was in the (ICC T20 Men’s) Team of the Year. He was outstanding and to get those three wickets, (they) really put inroads in (the Gulf Giants batting line-up).

“They (Gulf Giants) got off to a really good start in the power play through James Vince and Chris Lynn.  I think the way Hasaranga came out and got a wicket in his first over put them under pressure, while also getting the run rate going up. This allowed our bowlers to settle in and use what the pitch had to offer.

 “We came here to qualify, number one, and once we got into the finals, it was about putting our best foot forward to make it to the final. Now we are there, and our next goal is to lift that trophy.”

Naturally, Head Coach James Foster was delighted with the performance and the outcome.

 “I am really chuffed for the whole team. I think they fought really hard throughout this campaign. I thought we had to show a lot of fight today, and a lot of character,” he said while speaking on the Vipers Voices podcast.

“After a positive start, we were three down for not too many (runs), and I thought Ronnie (Rohan Mustafa) got us off to a flyer but the brakes were put on us, and then we had to absorb a lot of pressure.

 “The partnership between Sam Billings and Wanindu Hasaranga was huge in the context of the game. They had to rebuild, but also had to show intent and keep that scoreboard ticking.”

He, too, was full of praise for Rutherford.

 “When Rutherford came out and then pulled up with that hamstring injury, you thought the worst. But the fact that he was happy to go back out there (was great for the team). It was his idea and his thought, and he was really keen,” he said.

“So at the drop of the next wicket he went out there and that was some unbelievable ball-striking, bearing in mind he was on one leg. To hit the ball in the areas that he did, with the power that he possesses, which we have seen throughout this campaign, came to fruition tonight.

 “What a platform the ILT20 is to showcase what Rutherford can do. I am really pleased for him, he is such a top man, such a nice guy and so humble. In the same breath (I am) devastated for him, about picking up an injury.”

Orin Rutherford, 58, died Thursday, after testing positive for the Covid-19 virus on September 5. He was being treated at the Intensive Care Unit of the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Liliendaal Hospital in Georgetown. He was reportedly unvaccinated.

"The SRH family conveys its heartfelt condolences to Sherfane Rutherford and his family on the passing away of his father. Sherfane will be leaving the IPL bio-bubble to be with his family in this difficult hour," SRH posted on Twitter.

Following a successful season with newly-crowned Caribbean Premier League champions St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Rutherford was looking forward to his maiden season with SRH.

It always feels good to come to a new franchise. It’s always good coming to something new. I look to learn, gather as much information as I can to work on my game and in the best way I can to help the team,” he said shortly after his arrival in India.

Rutherford, who almost inexplicably missed on being selected to represent the West Indies at next month’s ICC T20 World Cup, was called up by SRH to replace England’s Jonny Bairstow.

He last played in the IPL for Delhi Capitals in 2019.

It was a day of quiet celebration for West Indies batsman Sherfane Rutherford as he watched his Desert Vipers team deliver a near-perfect performance that left little room for his services with the bat on Wednesday.

Gujarat Titans moved up to second in the Indian Premier League after beating Sunrisers Hyderabad in a win led by Mohammed Siraj.

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots won the toss and chose to bat in this must-win game, but were restricted early on as the Knight Riders rotated five bowlers across the powerplay. Sherfane Rutherford would change the complexion of the innings with a brilliant 78 runs, aided by a spectacular cameo from Dewald Brevis, to take the Patriots to 163-6. 

In their chase, the Trinbago Knight Riders struggled to build partnerships as wickets consistently fell. Despite this, they remained with a chance of winning the match as Tim Seifert and Andre Russell scored crucial late runs, but it proved to be in vain as they could only muster 156-7, losing by seven runs. 

St Kitts and Nevis Patriots were frustrated by the bowling of the Knight Riders in the first 10 overs, reaching 43-3 and having lost the key wicket of Evin Lewis. Rutherford would then shoulder the responsibility of carrying the innings as he patiently scored runs before accelerating in the last three overs, to finish on 78 runs. Brevis would remarkably score 30 runs from just six balls, constantly clearing the boundary to propel the Patriots to 163-6. 

 Trinbago Knight Riders lost the early wickets of Leonardo Julien and Colin Munro in their chase, with spinners Kevin Sinclair and Rashid Khan restricting runs. Kieron Pollard and Nicholas Pooran would then lose their wickets as the Knight Riders found themselves in serious trouble.

Seifert kept the chase alive with a valiant half-century. Despite Russell scoring 18 runs in the 19th over, it was not to be enough as Sheldon Cottrell delivered a composed final over to take the Patriots to victory..

Scores: St Kitts and Nevis Patriots 163-6 (Rutherford 78, Brevis 30*; Dupavillon 3-38, Patel 1-7) beat Trinbago Knight Riders 156-7 (Seifert 59, Pollard 31; Cottrell 3-33, Sinclair 2-18) by seven runs.

Barbados Royals won the toss and put the Patriots in to bat but despite a flurry of early wickets, a fantastic 115 run partnership between DJ Bravo and Sherfane Rutherford ensured the Patriots set the highest total of the tournament so far with 175-5.

In reply, the Patriots were never under threat as they produced an excellent bowling display to keep the shackles on the Royals throughout.

The Royals took full advantage of their decision to field first by removing both openers, Evin Lewis and Devon Thomas, in the first three overs before Oshane Thomas bowled Chris Gayle to leave the Patriots teetering at 38-3 at the end of the PowerPlay.

Bowling with real zip, Oshane Thomas was to strike once more removing Asif Ali in the eighth over as his hostile spell resulted in exemplary figures of 3-22 from his four overs.

Patriots captain Bravo entered at the fall of the fourth wicket and along with Rutherford, they consolidated the innings before exploding into life in the final seven overs.

Their 115-run partnership in 70 balls ensured the Patriots laid a platform for Fabian Allen to add late fireworks at the death to power the Patriots to a very imposing 175-5

Much like the Royals, the Patriots made early inroads with their bowling dismissing both openers inside the first three overs. Although they needed a calamitous run-out to get them on their way when Johnson Charles found himself at the same end as Glenn Phillips.

Through the middle overs, the Patriots put a stranglehold on the game forcing the run rate up and putting pressure on the Royals batsmen to play high-risk shots.

Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers fell without making a significant indent on the scorecard and although Shai Hope anchored the innings with a well-constructed 44 his dismissal with six overs to go left too much to do for the remaining batsmen.

Azam Khan showed a few signs of his potential with some late blows, but the Patriots closed out the Royals innings with minimum fuss.

Scores: St Kitts & Nevis Patriots 175-5 (Rutherford 53,  Bravo 47*; Cottrell 2-39, Drakes 2-13) beat Barbados Royals 154-7 (Hope 44, Khan 28; Thomas 3-22, Amir 1-20) by 21 runs.

The Patriots will also retain middle-order batsman Sherfane Rutherford, all-rounder Dominic Drakes as well as fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell and wicketkeeper/batsman Joshua da Silva. The Patriots have also brought in Oshane Thomas who was transferred from the Barbados Royals.

The tournament gets underway on 16 August with the final taking place on 24 September. There will be matches in Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago.

The overseas players and draft picks will be announced during the Republic Bank CPL draft show which will be broadcast at the end of June.

Darren Bravo won the toss and sent Harpy Eagles in to bat, a decision which proved fruitful, as Red Force restricted the opponents to a paltry 105 inside 35 overs, and the captain later added an unbeaten 53 to easily surpass the target at 107-4 well inside 30 overs.

Bravo’s patient 70-ball 53, included eight boundaries.

Scores: Guyana Harpy Eagles 105 all out (34.3 overs); Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 107-4 (27.4 overs)

Despite the many talents in Harpy Eagles’s batting line up, they have really failed to spark throughout the campaign, and this crucial semi-final encounter again served up a dismal display.

With the exception of Sherfane Rutherford (30) and Tagenarine Chanderpaul (22), no other batsman got into double figures, as Terrance Hinds ran through the top order, and they never recovered.

The 31-year-old right-arm medium pacer snared 4-15 in a mere four overs, while spinner Yannic Cariah had 2-14 in 2.3 overs.

With very little runs on the board, Red Force’s chase started steadily, but Harpy Eagles sensed a glimmer of hope when Veerasammy Permaul had Tion Webster (10) trapped in front with the score at 25-1.

Kjorn Ottley and Bravo added 58 for the second wicket to balance things out, before the former went leg-before-wicket to Gudakesh Motie. Ottley’s innings of 35 of 59 balls, included five boundaries.

Though Nicholas Pooran (three) and Jason Mohammed (zero) fell in quick succession to Motie leaving the score at 89-4, Bravo remained steady, and with Cariah, unbeaten on five, holding the other end, saw Red Force to a second-consecutive final.

Motie ended with 3-20 in seven overs.

The second semi-final between Leeward Island Hurricanes and Barbados Pride will be contested at the same venue on Thursday.

They join the likes of Andre Fletcher, Sheldon Cottrell, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shimron Hetmyer, Evin Lewis, Fabian Allen, Rovman Powell, Akeal Hosein, Raymon Reifer, Sherfane Rutherford, Ravi Rampaul, Kennar Lewis and Dominic Drakes as West Indians participating in the inaugural edition of the tournament.

Other big names participating include England's Moeen Ali and Alex Hales as well as Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga.

The ILT20 is set to begin in January next year in the UAE and is competing with South Africa's T20 League for players. There will be six franchises consisting of 18 players each.

The 2023 edition of the ILT20 will have 34 matches. All the teams will play each other twice, before four playoffs, including the final, spread across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

 Rovman Powell will lead the side as captain, with Roston Chase serving as vice-captain. The squad also features a mix of experienced campaigners and emerging talents, including the likes of Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, and Alick Athanaze. Notably absent from the squad are Andre Russell and Jason Holder, who have both requested periods of rest and recovery following a grueling season that included five consecutive Test matches against England and South Africa. Brandon King also remains sidelined as he continues his rehabilitation from an injury sustained during the World Cup.

 Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, emphasized the importance of rest and recovery for the absent players, stating, “During this period, they all will work closely with the CWI science and medicine team.”

 Head Coach Daren Sammy views the upcoming series as an opportunity for the West Indies to reset and refocus. “Facing a strong South Africa side is an excellent opportunity for our team to reset and refocus with our game plan. We have played them recently and had mixed results, so this should be an exciting and important series. I’m confident in the squad we’ve selected, and with eyes already on the next T20 World Cup in 2026, I know the guys will be keen to show their hunger for success,” Sammy remarked.

 The West Indies, currently ranked 4th in the ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings, will be looking to capitalize on their recent form, having won four of their last five series. South Africa, ranked 5th, presents a formidable challenge, especially after ending the West Indies' World Cup campaign in the Super 8 stage. However, with a squad full of dynamic players, including the explosive Fabian Allen and the reliable Shai Hope, the West Indies are poised to put up a strong fight.

 The T20I series against South Africa also marks a historic occasion as it will feature doubleheaders with the Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) for the first time. Fans will have the unique opportunity to witness both the top male and female cricketers in action with a single ticket.

 The full squad for the T20I series is as follows:  Rovman Powell (Captain), Roston Chase (Vice-Captain), Alick Athanaze, Fabian Allen, Johnson Charles, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Obed McCoy, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Sherfane Rutherford and Romario Shepherd.

The team management unit for the series includes Head Coach Daren Sammy, along with Assistant Coaches Rayon Griffith, Floyd Reifer, and Ramesh Subasinghe. The support staff also comprises Physiotherapist Denis Byam, Strength & Conditioning Coach Ronald Rogers, and others.

 Tickets for the T20I Series are available for purchase online, and fans in the Caribbean can catch all the action live on RUSH SPORTS or via the Flow Sports bluu. App and the SportsMax App. Fans worldwide can follow live ball-by-ball commentary on the Windies Cricket YouTube page and get live scores on the Windies Cricket Match Centre.

 As the West Indies gear up to face South Africa, cricket fans across the region will be eagerly watching to see how the team responds after their recent Test series disappointment. The upcoming T20I series promises to be an exciting chapter in the ongoing rivalry between the two cricketing nations.

In a match eventually reduced to 40 overs per side after rain interruptions before and during the match, England recovered from a horrific first ten overs to post 206-9 from their 40 overs after being put in to bat by West Indian skipper Shai Hope.

Debutant Matthew Forde got proceedings off to the best possible start for the West Indies with the wicket of Phil Salt for just four at the end of the first over.

Not long after, Forde was at it again, picking up the wickets of Zak Crawley (0) and Will Jacks (17) to leave England struggling at 45-3 at the start of the ninth over.

45-3 became 48-4 in the 10^th over when Alzarri Joseph brilliantly ran out Harry Brook off his own bowling for one.

England captain Jos Buttler, fresh off a half-century in the last game, lasted only one ball on Saturday.

Joseph greeted Buttler with a well-directed short ball that he was unable to control, helping the ball out to Gudakesh Motie on the deep square leg boundary for a simple catch to leave England 49-5 after 10 overs of the rain-shortened 43 overs per side contest.

An 88-run sixth wicket partnership between Ben Duckett and Liam Livingstone provided some stability to the English effort before Duckett fell for a well-played 73-ball 71 in the 26^th over. His knock included six fours and one six.

Livingstone was next to go two overs later, caught by Sherfane Rutherford at mid-on off the bowling of Romario Shepherd for 45 to leave England 142-7.

With England 161-7 off 33 overs, the rains came once again. Soon after the restart, England lost their eighth wicket when Rehan Ahmed fell caught behind off the bowling of Alzarri Joseph for 15 to leave the score 166-8 in the 34^th over.

Joseph picked up his third wicket when he had Sam Curran caught on the point boundary by Gudakesh Motie for 12 to leave England 171-9 in the 36^th over.

In the end, a 35-run 10^th wicket partnership between Gus Atkinson (20*) and Matthew Potts (15*) helped England reach 206-9.

Forde ended with 3-29 from his eight overs while Joseph was expensive, going for 61 from his eight overs with three wickets to his name.

A third rain delay during the innings break meant the West Indies had a revised target of 188 from 34 overs.

The chase got off to the worst possible start when Brandon King was caught at cover off the bowling of Gus Atkinson for just one in the second over.

Alick Athanaze and Keacy Carty then put together a solid 76-run second wicket partnership that ended when Atkinson trapped Athanaze in front for a 51-ball 45 in the 14^th over.

Captain Shai Hope was next to go, caught brilliantly by Matthew Potts off the bowling of Rehan Ahmed for 15 to leave the West Indies 99-3 in the 17^th over.

Then, with the West Indies cruising needing 72 from 78 balls, Shimron Hetmyer mistimed a ball straight into the hands of Phil Salt at point for 11 off the bowling of Will Jacks.

The West Indies quickly lost another one when Sherfane Rutherford held out to Zak Crawley at long on off Jacks’ bowling for three to leave the score at 122-5 after 23.2 overs leaving the hosts needing 66 runs from 64 balls.

Carty, two balls after bringing up an excellent half century, became Jacks’ third victim in quick succession caught and bowled to leave the West Indies 135-6 needing 53 runs from 50 balls.

The 31^st proved to be the ultimate game changer for the West Indies. The over bowled by Gus Atkinson went for 24 to leave them needing just nine more to win from the final three overs.

In the end, Romario Shepherd (41*) and Matthew Forde (13*) steered the West Indies to 191-6 off 31.4 overs to seal the 2-1 series win.

Will Jacks tried his best for England with 3-22 from his seven overs while Gus Atkinson ended with 2058 from his six overs.

Full Scores:

England 206-9 off 40 overs (Ben Duckett 71, Liam Livingston 45, Matthew Forde 3-29, Alzarri Joseph 3-61, Romario Shepherd 2-50)

West Indies 191-6 off 31.4 overs (Keacy Carty 50, Alick Athanaze 45, Romario Shepherd 41*, Will Jacks 3-22, Gus Atkinson 2-58)

Blistering half-centuries from Nicholas Pooran and Rovman Powell highlighted the West Indies' innings, propelling them to a formidable total of 257 for 4 in their 20 overs. Pooran was particularly destructive, smashing 75 from just 25 balls, including five sixes in a mere six balls against Australian spinners Ashton Agar and Adam Zampa.

Powell continued the onslaught with a quick-fire 52 from 25 balls, ensuring the West Indies maintained an aggressive tempo throughout their innings. Sherfane Rutherford added the finishing touches with an unbeaten 47 from just 18 deliveries.

Australia, struggling with a short-handed team for the second consecutive match, fielded only nine players, supplemented by coaches and selectors acting as substitute fielders. The absence of key players and the late arrival of allrounder Marcus Stoinis, whose kit was delayed in Miami, further hampered their performance.

Despite the challenges, Nathan Ellis showed promise with the ball, claiming 2 for 42 from his four overs. However, the Australian bowlers were otherwise put to the sword, with Zampa conceding 62 runs and Josh Hazlewood 55 in their respective spells.

Sent in to bat, West Indies got off to a quick start with Shai Hope and Johnson Charles laying the foundation. Pooran then took centre-stage, hitting the first three legal deliveries he faced for sixes and maintaining a high strike rate. His half-century came off just 16 balls, demonstrating his aggressive intent. Although Borovec dropped a catch off Pooran, it didn’t prove too costly as Bailey managed to dismiss him shortly after.

Powell continued the momentum with a brutal assault on Zampa and Agar, who conceded 120 runs between them. Tim David, in a rare role as a bowler, managed to be the least expensive with figures of 1 for 40 from four overs.

Chasing 258, Australia’s reply was spirited but ultimately fell short at 222 for 7. Josh Inglis top-scored with a brisk 55 off 30 balls, but the lack of depth in the batting lineup was evident. In a surprising move, Agar opened the batting and contributed 28 off 13 balls, but the rest of the lineup failed to capitalize.

David Warner, who missed the recent Australia-West Indies Test series, was bowled for 15 by Shamar Joseph after a brief flurry of boundaries. Mitchell Marsh, playing in his preferred No.3 position, was dismissed cheaply, and while David and Matthew Wade managed 25 runs each, they couldn't keep pace with the required run rate.

Gudakesh Motie was instrumental in stemming the flow of runs during the middle overs, finishing with figures of 2 for 31, including the key wickets of Inglis and David. Ellis provided some late resistance with a quick 39, sharing a 51-run stand with Zampa, who remained unbeaten on 21.

The West Indies' dominant performance, spearheaded by Pooran and Powell, sets a confident tone ahead of the T20 World Cup.

The T20 World Cup kicks off on Saturday, and the West Indies' emphatic win serves as a strong warning to their rivals as they aim for glory on the global stage.