Rovman Powell’s 51-ball century powers West Indies to 20-run win over England in 3rd T20

Rovman Powell and Nicholas Pooran’s dominant performance with the bat was backed up by a solid bowling performance as West Indies defeated England by 20 runs.

In the third T20I of the five-match series here at the Kensington Oval. With this win, the hosts have gained a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. The fourth T20I will be played on Saturday.

Powell blasted his first T20 international century off only 51 balls with nine sixes and four fours and put on third-wicket stand of 122 from just 67 balls with Nicholas Pooran (70 off 43) to leave England with a daunting chase in Barbados.

Chasing 225, England kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and it was only just Tom Banton and Philip Salt who showed some fight and resistance with the bat. Banton scored 73 while Salt played a 57-run knock, but in the end, it was not enough as Windies registered a 20-run win.

For West Indies, Romario Shepherd returned with three wickets while Kieron Pollard took two. Earlier, Powell’s 107-run knock and Nicholas Pooran’s 70-run innings helped West Indies post 224/5 in the allotted 20 overs. Powell scored 107 off just 53 balls with the help of 4 fours and 10 sixes.

Banton fell in the 13th over but Salt then took over the heavy scoring and England still had a mathematical chance of victory when he hit back-to-back sixes off Romario Shepherd in the final over – the requirement 24 from four balls at that stage, meaning four more sixes were needed.

However, Salt was then bowled by a yorker next ball and England ended up on 204/9, with the away side now needing to win the final two matches, in Barbados on Saturday and Sunday, to claim a series victory.