The second match of Super 12 on paper seemed like a clash of titans, considering that the involved teams were the finalists in the last edition of the T20 World Cup. But the defending champions’ fans had to witness a disappointing start to their World Cup campaign this year. England won the match by six wickets and with a massive margin of 70 balls to spare. So let’s have a look at how West Indies completely missed the mark in yesterday’s fixture.
1st Innings: WI Batters fell like a pack of cards
Even without Sunil Narine, the West Indies squad looks like they are in for their second consecutive championship. But the way the batters threw their wickets in this match gave the impression that the practice matches are still not done. Apart from Chris Gayle (13 runs off 13 balls), no other West Indies player could cross the double-digit figure.
For England, their experienced spinsters demolished the West Indies. Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid bagged six wickets combined, with Rashid taking the giant share of 4 wickets in just 2.2 overs and ending the opposition’s innings. Each bowler managed to get their fair share of wickets, ruthlessly dominating the West Indies batter.
2nd Innings: Dicey but an easy win for England
After West Indies were restricted to a total score of 55, English batters just had to complete the formalities. But the England team also had their share of scares in this match. After a solid start of 21 runs by the opening pair of Jason Roy and Jos Butler, the team lost four wickets while completing the chase.
In the end, Butler and the team captain saw through the win for the team and ended the match in 8.2 overs.
Conclusion:
The match saw Moeen Ali adjudged as the man of the match due to his maiden plus wicket, which paved the way for the English bowlers’ onslaught on the West Indies batting lineup. It looked like Moeen Ali was still in his CSK winning form from some days back.
An easy win for England. Still, the Englishmen would have preferred not to lose those four wickets. This can prove to be fatal if they don’t address their batting unit issues at the top. On the other hand, the Caribbean men will have to move on from this horrific night early if they are still serious about winning that trophy.