Sherfane Rutherford’s unbeaten 76 and a disciplined bowling performance led West Indies to a 30-run victory over England in a key Group C match of the T20 World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Set a target of 197, England were restricted to 166 for 9 in 19 overs, despite a late flourish from Sam Curran, who remained not out on 43. The result places West Indies at the top of Group C, whereas England’s struggles in the tournament continue.
Rutherford’s innings, punctuated by five sixes and two fours, came off 42 balls and provided the impetus for West Indies to post a competitive total of 196 for 6. Earlier, Shimron Hetmyer contributed 23 and Roston Chase added 34, laying a foundation for Rutherford’s explosive finish. Jason Holder also played a quickfire innings, hitting four sixes in his 17-ball 33.
England’s chase began brightly with Phil Salt smashing 30 off 14 balls, including four fours and two sixes, targeting Jason Holder’s bowling. However, Salt’s aggressive approach led to his dismissal, caught at cover off Romario Shepherd. Jos Buttler was then removed by Roston Chase for 21.
The turning point for West Indies came with the introduction of spin. Gudakesh Motie, who finished with figures of 3 for 32, struck twice in quick succession to dismantle England’s middle order. Chase also contributed with the ball, taking two wickets. Motie’s ability to exploit the grip off the surface proved crucial in stifling England’s scoring rate.
Adil Rashid was the most economical bowler for England, conceding only 16 runs in his four overs and claiming the wickets of Chase and Rovman Powell. However, his efforts were not enough to stem the tide as West Indies’ spinners dominated the latter half of the innings.
England captain Harry Brook acknowledged the West Indies’ strong performance, stating, “Disappointing. It’s never nice to lose a game, but West Indies played outstanding.” He also noted that the pitch did not behave as expected, with less dew than anticipated, affecting the ball’s skid.
The win for West Indies marks their second successive victory in the tournament, strengthening their position in Group C. England, meanwhile, will need to regroup quickly to address their struggles against spin bowling and improve their batting consistency as they face Scotland in their next match.
