West Indies scored 180/4 in 20 overs, where as England scored 181/2 in 17.3 overs.
So, finally England beat West Indies by eight wickets.
Defending champions England asserted their dominance in St Lucia, signaling their intent for a third title by defeating fellow two-time winners West Indies by eight wickets in their first Super 8 contest.
Jos Buttler’s team first restricted the power-packed West Indian lineup to 180 on what was deemed the tournament’s best batting surface thus far.
They then chased down the target with 15 balls to spare, propelled by a scintillating knock from Phil Salt, who has shown a penchant for batting against the West Indies.
Salt’s unbeaten 87, which included a blistering 30-run onslaught in a Romario Shepherd over, continued his impressive form after scoring two centuries in a five-match series against the same opponent late last year.
Where was the game won?
The turning point came in the death overs of the West Indies’ innings.
Despite being poised to reach a total near the 200-mark, as they had done against Afghanistan two nights prior at the same venue, the hosts faltered and were restricted to 180.
England’s bowlers, particularly Adil Rashid and Jofra Archer, played a crucial role in this phase, delivering three boundary-less overs and dismissing key batsmen like Nicholas Pooran and Andre Russell, thus denying the West Indies their most explosive hitters in the final overs.
| Teams | West Indies | England |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 43/2 | 40/0 |
| Run Rate | 8.6 | 16 |
| 4s/6s | 3 and 2 | 4 and 3 |
West Indies
Power Play: WI lose King to injury after bright start
Phase Score: 54/0 (RR: 9.00, 4s/6s: 8/1)
England’s bowlers started strong after choosing to bowl, conceding just 13 runs in the first two overs.
Brandon King, benefiting from a change of bats, capitalized with a powerful shot off Reece Topley, depositing the ball into the stands beyond mid-wicket.
An inside-edged boundary for opening partner Johnson Charles added to the momentum.
Each of the next three overs featured two boundaries as West Indies raced past 50 in the Power Play.
However, their progress was marred by the loss of Brandon King to a groin strain while attempting to hit a full delivery from Sam Curran through the off-side.
Middle overs: Frugal Rashid, belligerent Powell
Phase Score: 83/2 (RR: 9.22, 4s/6s: 2/7)
Nicholas Pooran started well in the post-PowerPlay phase, hitting a four off Topley and then launching Mark Wood for a six.
However, England fought back with spin, as Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali bowled two economical overs, conceding just 10 runs.
Johnson Charles, struggling to accelerate, eventually fell for 36 while attempting to hit a six off Moeen.
England tightened the screws with Rashid giving away just 19 runs in his three overs.
Rovman Powell then turned the tide with powerful hitting, smashing consecutive sixes off Liam Livingstone’s legspin.
Despite Livingstone dismissing Powell for a quickfire 36, West Indies managed to maintain momentum.
Death Overs: Excellent England keep WI down
Phase Score: 43/2 (RR: 8.60, 4s/6s: 3/2)
England capitalized on the crucial wicket of Powell to further restrict the hosts.
Jofra Archer dismissed Nicholas Pooran, while Rashid ended his spell by removing Andre Russell.
Romario Shepherd’s late cameo of 28 off 15 balls provided some impetus, but Sam Curran’s boundary-less over kept England in control.
With disciplined bowling, England restricted the powerful West Indies lineup to just 180, putting themselves in a strong position at the halfway mark.
England
Power Play: Buttler, Salt make solid beginning
Phase Score: 58/0 (RR: 9.67, 4s/6s: 5/2)
Facing a target of 180, Phil Salt and Jos Buttler denied West Indies early breakthroughs with a solid start in the Power Play.
Salt took on the bowlers, including Andre Russell, hitting a straight six and pulling Alzarri Joseph for another six.
Despite a chance when Salt was dropped on 7, England maintained a steady run rate against the West Indies’ bowling attack.
Middle Overs: Bairstow counter-attack pushes Windies back
Phase Score: 83/2 (RR: 9.22, 4s/6s: 7/2)
England continued to dominate in the middle overs as Jonny Bairstow’s aggressive batting pushed West Indies on the back foot.
Roston Chase dismissed Jos Buttler, but Moeen Ali and Bairstow countered with boundaries.
Bairstow accelerated with a flurry of boundaries, reaching 46 off 21 balls and putting England in a commanding position.
Death Overs: Salt lays into Shepherd, closes chase out
Phase Score: 40/0 (RR: 16, 4s/6s: 4/3)
With just 40 runs needed from the final five overs, Phil Salt took charge and smashed Romario Shepherd for 30 runs in the 16th over.
Salt reached his fifty with a thumping shot over extra cover, followed by consecutive sixes and a boundary.
Shepherd’s slower short ball was no match for Salt’s power-hitting, as England cruised to victory.
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