In a thrilling final encounter, the West Indies secured a 2-1 series victory against England, triumphing by four wickets in the third ODI. The Caribbeans’ stellar bowling performance in the first innings set the tone for their success, with Matthew Forde and Alzarri Joseph dismantling Jos Buttler’s squad, limiting them to a below-par score. The match also faced interruptions due to rain, adding an extra layer of challenge for both teams.
The decision to field after winning the toss proved wise, as Forde and Joseph wreaked havoc, reducing England to five down within the initial ten overs. Despite a resilient innings from Ben Duckett, who contributed a valuable 71 runs after the early collapse, England concluded their 40 overs with 206 runs on the board for the loss of nine wickets.
Following a rain delay, the umpires decided to reduce the overs to 34, and the West Indies, unfazed by the tricky pitch conditions, successfully chased down their target of 188. A crucial 76-run partnership between Alick Athanaze and Keacy Carty for the second wicket laid the foundation for the hosts, but stumbled in the middle phases losing crucial wickets. In the end, Romario Shepherd and Matthew Forde held down the fort, partnering up 56 runs to guide their team to victory with a final, securing the series win.
Debutant Matthew Forde’s exceptional bowling performance earned him the well-deserved Man of the Match award, while Shai Hope was honored with the Man of the Series title for his consistent batting prowess.
Chief Scores :
England 206 for 9 in 40 overs (Ben Duckett 71, Liam Livingstone 45, Gus Atkinson 20*, Matthew Forde 3 for 29, Alzarri Joseph 3 for 61, Romario Shepherd 2 for 50)
West Indies 191 for 6 in 31.4 overs (Keacy Carty 50, Alick Athanaze 45, Romario Shepherd 41, Will Jacks 3 for 22, Gus Atkinson 2 for 58, Rehan Ahmed 1 for 37)
