For the seventh consecutive match, the Caribbean witnessed a pattern of 'win toss, win match' as the West Indies triumphed in a high-scoring contest in St Lucia, successfully chasing down England's total of 218 with an over to spare. The conditions in St Lucia were ideal for batting, with the same pitch used as on Thursday, a scorching afternoon sun, and a fierce crosswind contributing to a total of 32 sixes being hit throughout the match.
England's score of 218 was the joint-highest T20I total at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, lasting for about two hours before the West Indies made it appear well below par. Openers Evin Lewis and Shai Hope combined for a 136-run partnership in just 9.1 overs, with the duo hitting ten sixes between them. Lewis finished with 68 off 31 balls, while Hope scored 54 off 24.
The West Indies' chase started slowly, with just five runs scored in the first two overs. Saqib Mahmood even bowled a maiden. However, once debutant John Turner's second over—the third of the innings—went for 25 runs, the ball stopped swinging, and the West Indies' onslaught began. The following seven overs saw 131 runs scored in a remarkable display of hitting, culminating in a 15-ball period where 53 runs were scored and three wickets fell.
Liam Livingstone's eighth over was hit for 30 runs, and Sam Curran's second over went for 23, seemingly sealing the match for the West Indies. However, three wickets fell in three balls during Rehan Ahmed's over, threatening to turn the tide. First, Lewis was caught by Jacob Bethell running in from the boundary, then a mix-up between Nicholas Pooran and Hope resulted in Hope being run out, and Pooran was clean bowled. The match was unfolding rapidly in St Lucia.
At the toss, West Indies captain Rovman Powell smiled as the coin fell in his favor for the first time in the series. The 4pm start times have been disadvantageous for the team batting first, with the pitch at its worst under the afternoon sun and dew settling in the evening, making it favorable for batting but slippery for bowling. No team has yet won a match after losing the toss on this tour.
For the first half of the match, England seemed to have reversed the script, thanks to a lackluster West Indies fielding effort and half-centuries from Phil Salt (55) and Jacob Bethell (62 not out), reaching a seemingly imposing total of 218. Salt continued his fine form against the West Indies, while Bethell further confirmed England's special talent. The 21-year-old reached his third half-century for England across formats with three consecutive sixes off Roston Chase.
With the series already secured for England, the Saturday crowd in St Lucia was smaller than hoped, but the atmosphere remained special as the locals enjoyed their team's six-hitting display. A late wobble from the home team threatened to make the game interesting, but Sherfane Rutherford sealed a five-wicket win with consecutive sixes into the crowd, ahead of the final match of the series.
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