Defending champions West Indies were skittled out for 55 as England began their T20 World Cup 2021 campaign with a six-wicket win at Dubai International Stadium. Adil Rashid bagged a four-wicket haul, while Moeen Ali and Tymal Mills wrecked the West Indies batting unit, picking up two wickets each. Despite losing a few quick wickets, Jos Buttler’s patient knock of 24 saw England wrap up the run chase in the ninth over.
Chris Gayle was the only West Indies player to reach double digits. The power-hitters Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran, and Andre Russell scored just seven runs between them. Akeal Hosein, who replaced injured Fabian Allen in the 15-member squad, excelled with the ball for the Caribbean outfit. The left-arm spinner removed Jonny Bairstow and took an outstanding catch off his bowling to dismiss Liam Livingstone.
Crumbling like a pack of cards
Evin Lewis, who leads the chart for most sixes in T20Is in 2021, clobbered the ball over the bowler’s head for a maximum in the opening over. However, West Indies fans’ excitement was short-lived. Moeen took an excellent catch to remove the left-handed batsman in the second over. Lendl Simmons, too, threw away his wicket as he holed out to Livingstone at deep midwicket.
West Indies found themselves in a spot of bother after Moeen dismissed Shimron Hetmyer for nine. He perished while trying to clear the ropes. England ended the powerplay with another wicket courtesy of a fantastic catch by Dawid Malan to get rid of the dangerous Gayle. Mills, playing his first T20I since 2017, picked up the wicket as the two-time winners were in all sorts of trouble at 31/4.
Dwayne Bravo and Pooran, too, were back in the dressing room before the halfway mark. The veteran all-rounder slashed the ball to the fielder at backward point, while Mills had Pooran caught behind to grab his second wicket. Rashid’s introduction helped England bundle West Indies out for 55, which is the third-lowest total in T20 World Cup. The leg-spinner, who ran through the lower order, registered his best bowling figures in T20Is – 4/2 in 2.2 overs.
Hosein puts up a fight
England openers Jason Roy and Buttler made a brisk start. Roy hammered Hosein over extra cover for a maximum, while Buttler crushed boundaries in the first two overs. Ravi Rampaul broke the stand with the wicket of Roy, who chipped the ball to Gayle at midwicket. Bairstow, who came at No 3, struck consecutive fours off Rampaul before giving Hosein a return catch.
A third wicket fell when Moeen ran himself out for three. Five balls later, Hosein took a stunning one-handed catch to remove Livingstone. The 28-year-old dived to his left to grab a leading edge from the English batsman. The on-field umpire Aleem Dar sought the third umpire’s assistance to ensure it was a clean catch. The on-field decision was out, and the third umpire, who took his time, upheld the on-field call.
Buttler and Eoin Morgan steered England home with an unbroken stand of 17 runs for the fifth wicket. The 2010 winners will face Bangladesh at Zayed Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, while West Indies lock horns with South Africa, who lost to Australia in the Super 12 opener, on Tuesday.
Player of the Match – Moeen Ali
Moeen picked up from where he left off in the Indian T20 League. Though the spinner was impressive with the bat for Chennai, he made the headlines for his bowling prowess on Saturday. Morgan brought on Moeen in the first over. He gave away seven runs but dismissed Simmons in the second. The Englishman also clinched the wicket of Hetmyer and completed his quota at the end of seven overs.
Top Fantasy Points scorers
Rashid emerged as the top fantasy points scorer after picking up 118 points. He is also the first player to cross the three-figure mark in the T20 World Cup 2021 Super 12. Meanwhile, Hosein, selected by only 15% of fantasy cricket enthusiasts, was the surprise package. The West Indies spinner claimed 54 bowling points and 16 fielding points. He finished the match with 78 points. England pacer Mills, who, too, wasn’t a popular pick, grabbed 50-plus points.
The top Fantasy XI: A Rashid – 118 pts, A Hosein – 78 pts, M Ali – 77 pts, T Mills – 58 pts, J Buttler – 39 pts, C Jordan – 35 pts , R Rampaul – 32 pts, J Bairstow – 31 pts, C Woakes – 31 pts, C Gayle – 28 pts, J Roy – 25 pts
Parameswaran Sankaranarayanan
Parameswaran Sankaranarayan is a sports enthusiast who has worked in print, website, and other digital platforms. He was part of the editorial team of first-ever Indian football-based website - IndianFootball.com (now defunct) - and passionately follows the latest happenings in world football. During his time as a journalist, he had the opportunity to interact with some of the iconic personalities in Indian sports and witness some memorable moments in Indian football.
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