WI vs ENG, T20 WC 2024 Super 8: Phil Salt & Jonny Bairstow Power England To 8-Wicket Win Over West Indies In St. Lucia

Opener Phil Salt and Jonny Bairstow emerged as the star performers in England's 8-wicket win over the co-hosts West Indies in the T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 clash at the at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St. Lucia on Thursday, June 20.

With a target of 181, the defending champions chased it down with 15 balls to spare. Phil Salt led the batting with a brilliant innings of 87 off 47 balls while forming an unbeaten 101-run partnership with Jonny Bairstow, who scored 48 off 26 balls, for the third wicket to help the Three Lions achieve the target.

For West Indies, Rostan Chase and Andre Russell picked a wicket each. Romario Shepherd (0/41), Akeal Hosein (0/35), Alzarri Joseph (0/32) and Gudakesh Motie (0/32) didn't have best of their outings with the ball as they conceded over 30 overs.

Chasing a 181-run target, openers Jos Buttler and Phil Salt gave a good start to England's innings as the pair formed 67-run partnership until the skipper was dismissed for 25. Then, Salt was joined by Moeen Ali at the crease to carry on England's innings.

However, Moeen had a short stay at the crease as he was dismissed for 13 at 84/2. Thereafter, Jonny Bairstow joined Phil Salt at the crease and duo unleashed their firepower as they took West Indies' bowlers to the cleaners. In the 16th over, Salt took on Romario Shepherd as he smashed him for 30 runs to bring down England's equation from 40 off 30 balls to 10 off 24 balls.

Eventually, England finished off the match in 17.3 overs.

Mid Innings update:

A collective effort from the batters helped West Indies post 180/4 in the first innings of the T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 match against England at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St. Lucia on Thursday, June 20.

After putting to bat first by England skipper Jos Buttler, West Indies openers gave a brilliant start to their team innings. The opening pair of Brandon King and Johnson Charles were building a good partnership until the latter had to retire hurt due to injury. Thereafter, Charles was joined by Nicholas Pooran to carry on West Indies' innings.

Johnson Charles' stay at the crease ended after he was dismissed by Moeen Ali for 38 off 34 balls at 94/1. After Charles' dismissal, skipper Rovman Powell joined Pooran at the crease. Powell didn't take much time to settle in as he unleashed his firepower from word go. In the 15th over, WI skipper smashed three sixes off Liam Livingstone before he was dismissed by the same bowler for 36 off 17 balls at 137/2.

After Rovman Powell's dismissal, Nicholas Pooran too walked back to the pavilion after he was removed by Jofra Archer for 36 at 141/3. The middle-order batter Andre Russell had a short stay at the crease as he was dismissed for just 1 run by Adil Rashid at 143/4.

Thereafter, Sherfane Rutherford led the West Indies batting and formed an unbeaten 37-run partnership with Romario Shepherd for the fifth wicket to help the side post a solid total. Rutherford played an innings of 28 off 15 balls while Shepherd scored 5 runs.

For England, Adil Rashid, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali and Jofra Archer picked a wicket each. Adil was the most economical bowler as he conceded just 21 runs with an economy rate of 5.2 in his four overs spell.

Published on: Thursday, June 20, 2024, 09:19 AM IST