ENG VS WI T20I

Right then, that's all from this clash of heavyweights where England lived up to the tag of the defending champions. Jos Buttler and Co. will need to keep this intensity up as they face the unbeaten Proteas next, while the West Indies will be looking to get their first points of the Super 8 when they take on fellow hosts, the USA. The Super 8 action in the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup continues on Thursday, June 20, when two Asian sides, India and Afghanistan, lock horns at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. The first ball will be bowled at 8 pm IST (2.30 pm GMT), but as always, you can join us in advance for the build-up. Until then, take care and goodbye!

Jos Buttler, the skipper of England says it's an important win and it was a really good performance by the boys with both bat and ball. Appreciates the team saying they prepared well and performed as a group. Says it was a decent total and they had to be at their best to chase it down. Appreciates Jonny Bairstow and says he really took off in the middle overs and also says that the partnership between Bairstow and Salt was pivotal. Adds they bowled to their plans. Says he brought Jofra Archer in the 16th over with Pooran and Russell coming in, and he restricted the run flow. Says you need to bring your best bowler and shut them. Also appreciates Adil Rashid and says he has been excellent all the time and has been an important player for a long time. Says he has a lot of variations. Further adds that people say you learn when you lose but he believes that you learn when you win as well, and concludes by saying they will reflect on the positives and put it to bed and move on to the next one.

The captain of West Indies, Rovman Powell feels that they were 15-20 runs short. Feels that they could have done better with the ball. States that they are normally good with the bat in the last 5 overs and lauds England for the way they bowled. Tells that they need to evaluate and take positives as a batting group. Hopes that Brandon King can pull through as he is an important player for them. Reckons that they strayed away from their bowling plans against Phil Salt and could have done better. Ends by saying that their destiny is still in their hands and will look to continue playing good cricket.

Phil Salt is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his blistering knock of 87 runs from 47 balls. Says he really liked it. Adds that they are not looking far too ahead and he's just happy to contribute to the team's victory. Mentions that it was a little tricky against the spinners in the mid-overs and it was all about constructing the chase. Adds it was a pretty good wicket to bat on. On being asked about Jonny Bairstow's innings, Salt says, Bairstow's innings was very crucial. Adds once Jos Buttler got out, he had to bat through and Jonny Bairstow took calculated risks in the middle. Ends up saying he is delighted with the win.

Time for the presentation ceremony....

Earlier in the game, England opted to bowl first but were a bit wayward with the new ball and could not start as they would have liked. Despite some ungainly shots, Brandon King and Johnson Charles ensured a decent start for the West Indies. King had to walk off the field due to what seemed to be a groin issue, but Nicholas Pooran quickly got into his stride and maintained the momentum. In the middle phase though, Charles and Pooran struggled to find their rhythm as England put a squeeze on. A breezy cameo from the skipper, Rovman Powell, helped the West Indies regain momentum. The loss of Powell, Pooran, and Russell in successive overs prevented the West Indies from maximizing the back end of their innings. Thanks to a late flourish from Sherfane Rutherford, the West Indies managed to reach a total of 180. For England, Adil Rashid was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 1 for 21 from his 4 overs.

As for the West Indies, their juggernaut has come to a halt with their first defeat of the competition. When they reflect on this loss, it will be evident that it was their batting that let them down more than their bowling. When you play as many as 51 dot balls, you end up on the losing side more often than not. Having managed only 43 runs in the last 5 overs of their batting effort, West Indies knew that they had left a few runs out there with the bat. As a result, wickets in the Powerplay were crucial for them. Akeal Hosein was miserly as ever from his end but the runs leaked from the other end. After a wicketless Powerplay, Roston Chase helped the West Indies regain some control with a couple of quiet overs and the wicket of Jos Buttler. However, they could never really stem the flow of runs. Jonny Bairstow put them under pressure, and then Phil Salt hammered the final nails in the coffin, sealing the game for England. Moreover, Nicholas Pooran dropped a tough chance off Phil Salt when he was on 7, and it indeed proved costly.

A statement win from England to kickstart their Super 8 campaign! If there were any doubts about the defending champions looking at their first couple of games, they have set them aside with this commanding display. England have shown they are here to defend their crown with a dominant performance against a strong West Indies side. In their pursuit of 181 runs, England were off to a steady start. Jos Buttler got a couple of boundaries away and by doing so, he allowed Phil Salt to settle into his innings. Through a 67-run opening stand, England had the requisite platform to gun down the total. Sent in at number 3, Moeen Ali batted with intent but could not hang around for long. Salt struggled to find the fence in the middle phase but Jonny Bairstow took all the pressure off him. He soon took the game by the scruff of the neck as England began to pull away from West Indies. Sensing the opportunity to put the game to bed, Salt took apart Romario Shepherd for a 30-run over, the most expensive over for a West Indies bowler in T20 World Cups.

A COMMANDING VICTORY FOR THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS! West Indies' 8-match winning streak has been broken. Short in length, angling into the body on the off and middle, Jonny Bairstow backs away and pulls it along the ground towards deep mid-wicket for a single to wrap things up in style. England win this clash by 8 wickets in hand and 15 balls to spare.

IN THE AIR...LANDS SAFE! AND, SCORES ARE LEVEL NOW! Short and on the top of off, Phil Salt sets up for a pull shot but slices it up in the air and the ball lands behind mid-wicket. One taken.

Angles it onto the pads, down the leg side, Phil Salt swivels and pulls it off the inner half of the willow towards deep mid-wicket for one. Just a couple of runs to win now.

Three dots to finish the over. A little too late here for the Windies. Drags his length again, on the leg stump line, Jonny Bairstow punches it straight to covers.

On a length, outside the off-stump line, Jonny Bairstow guides it off the back foot to short third.

Full and on leg, Jonny Bairstow makes room and drives it to covers.

Flatter through the air, on middle, Phil Salt hits it towards long on for one.

FOUR! He's in a hurry and continues on his merry way! Offer width outside off on a length, Phil Salt slaps it through cover-point for a cracking boundary.

Around the wicket, length ball on middle, Jonny Bairstow drives it to deep covers for one.