England pulled off a dramatic four-wicket win over the West Indies, chasing down a steep target in the final overs thanks to explosive lower-order hitting from Jacob Bethell and Tom Banton. After restricting the hosts to 121-4 in 16.1 overs, England looked set to face a manageable chase. However, a brutal late assault from Rovman Powell (34 off 15) and Jason Holder (29* off 9) propelled the West Indies to a daunting 196-4, with 75 runs smashed in the final four overs. England’s bowlers struggled at the death, particularly Adil Rashid, whose 31-run penultimate over saw him finish with a career-worst 1-59 in T20s.
England’s chase began positively with former captain Jos Buttler scoring 47 and new skipper Harry Brook contributing 34. At 112-2 after 12.2 overs, they appeared on course. But both fell in quick succession, triggering a collapse that left England needing 85 from the final 42 balls.
Enter Jacob Bethell, whose stunning 26 off just 10 balls—including three towering sixes—swung momentum back England’s way. Tom Banton anchored the finish with a composed and unbeaten 30 from 11 deliveries, securing victory with nine balls to spare.
Earlier, Luke Wood struck with the very first ball, trapping Evin Lewis lbw with a perfect yorker. But a steady 90-run stand between Shai Hope (49) and Johnson Charles (47) rebuilt the innings before the late fireworks. England’s bold two-seamer strategy paid off just enough, but the finish highlighted their vulnerability at the death despite a thrilling comeback.
