England suffered their first defeat of the T20 World Cup after a superb spell of spin bowling inspired the West Indies to a 30‑run victory in their Group C meeting in Mumbai.
Devastating four‑over spells from Gudakesh Motie (3‑33) and Roston Chase (2‑29) ripped through England’s middle order to derail their chase of 197.
Jos Buttler (21), Tom Banton (2), Jacob Bethell (33 off 23), captain Harry Brook (17) and Will Jacks (2) all fell to spin, ensuring Sam Curran’s unbeaten 43 off 30 balls came too late to propel England to victory, as they were bowled out for 166 after 19 overs.
It ensured Sam Curran’s unbeaten 43 off 30 balls would come too late to propel England to victory, as they were bowled out for 166 after 19 overs.
The West Indies had earlier slumped to 77‑4 after being put in to bat but rallied to 196‑6 from their 20 overs.
Sherfane Rutherford top‑scored with an unbeaten 76 off 42 balls, sharing in 50‑plus stands with Jason Holder (33 off 17) and Rovman Powell (14).
Adil Rashid (2‑16) claimed his 400th T20 wicket in a masterful bowling performance, supported by Jamie Overton (2‑33), to prevent the West Indies from crossing the 200‑run mark.
But there were enough runs on the board for the West Indies to secure their second victory at the T20 World Cup which lifts them top of Group C, two points clear of third-placed England.
England unravel at hands of West Indies spinners
England’s decision at the toss to bowl first paid off immediately. Jofra Archer recovered from a scrappy opening over to remove Shai Hope for a three‑ball duck, and Curran removed Brandon King two balls into his spell as both West Indies openers were sent packing after just eight deliveries.
Rashid then reasserted his class after his Nepal mauling, deceiving Chase with a dipping googly to trap him lbw for a patient 34.
With England firmly on top, the decision to return to Will Jacks in the 12th over proved costly. After conceding 19 in his first, he was then dispatched for two sixes by Rutherford, who had crawled to 10 off 13 before exploding. Rutherford survived a tough chance on 23 when Rashid, off‑balance on the rope, failed to prevent a six.
Adil Rashid celebrates the wicket of Roston Chase – his 400th in T20 cricket
From the 12th over onwards, every over went for double figures except Rashid’s final two, during which Powell holed out and Rutherford was dropped by the spinner on 56.
Rutherford built fifty stands with Powell and Holder, who hammered Curran for three sixes in the 17th over. Overton at least delivered a composed final over, removing Holder, though Rutherford finished the innings with his seventh six.
Salt launched England’s reply with five boundaries off Holder’s second over, but Rutherford struck again with a sharp catch to remove him in the fourth.
Sherfane Rutherford top-scored with an unbeaten 76 for the West Indies
Despite this, England still managed to post the second-highest powerplay tally – 67-1 – of the tournament, before West Indies’ spinners’ telling contribution.
Buttler holed out to Powell at long-on off the bowling of Chase in the very next over, and their run chase proceeded to unravel from there.
Motie snared Banton as he picked out King on the boundary, England lost their third in four overs when Motie bowled Bethell, before he too claimed Brook’s wicket, caught and bowled.
Jacks was pinned lbw by Chase and when Akeal Hosein removed Overton, it left Curran with too big a mountain to scale as England’s chase came up short amid a flurry of run‑outs and boundary catches.
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England’s Harry Brook reflects on their defeat to West Indies in the T20 World Cup.
Brook: We thought we had a chance
England captain Harry Brook: “A little bit disappointing. It’s never nice to lose a game but the West Indies played outstandingly.
“Everybody knows how much power they’ve got and whenever you’re slightly off your line and length, they manage to hit it for six.
“We probably felt it was chaseable, for sure. It probably didn’t dew up as much as we expected and we thought we had a chance, definitely.”
No ‘doom and gloom’ for England despite setback
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Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain discusses England’s upcoming T20 World Cup fixtures and says they must improve.
Nasser Hussain on England’s qualification hopes:
“That Scotland game becomes absolutely key now. Scotland, in the last World Cup in Barbados, caused a bit of a scare for England – they got off to an absolute flyer and played really well.
“If England lose to Scotland, Scotland go to four points, England are on two and then anything can happen, so that’s why this game was so vital today.
“I expect England to beat Scotland and I expect them to beat Italy, but in a T20 game, it just takes one or two cricketers in the opposition. I expected England to beat Nepal, they only just got over the line.
“I still think this England team is a very good T20 side, I still think this is their best format, they had won 11 out of 12 going into today, so one loss against the West Indies is not doom and gloom.
“You’re still a very good side, but if you do beat Scotland and you do beat Italy and you get to Sri Lanka for Super Eights and it is spinning, which it will, that’s the area you just need to keep an eye on and just need to improve on.”
England’s T20 World Cup fixtures and results (first round)
All times UK and Ireland; all games live on Sky Sports
Beat Nepal by four runs (Mumbai)Lost to West Indies by 30 runs (Mumbai)vs Scotland (Saturday February 14) – Kolkata (9.30am)vs Italy (Monday February 16) – Kolkata (9.30am)
Watch the Men’s T20 World Cup live on Sky Sports from February 7 to March 8. Get Sky Sports or stream contract-free with NOW.
