Magazine : 
ICC Men's T20 WC'24: Salt, Bairstow Shine in England's 8-Wicket Win Over WI
England made an impressive beginning to their Super 8 journey at the T20 World Cup by delivering a commanding performance, defeating hosts West Indies convincingly by 8 wickets. Despite barely advancing to the Super 8s, England surpassed expectations and controlled the match, sealing their victory with 15 balls remaining.
Having won the toss, England captain Jos Buttler chose to field first, a decision that quickly proved beneficial. The West Indies openers began cautiously, but Brandon King added excitement with an impressive six spanning 101 meters, coupled with three boundaries. However, the situation turned dire when King, batting at 23, suffered a groin injury and had to leave the field, leaving the hosts in a vulnerable position.
Nicholas Pooran and Johnson Charles took up the mantle, aiming to stabilize the innings. Charles, showing signs of aggression, began to free his arms. Yet, England’s bowlers maintained tight lines and kept the run rate in check. When Charles fell for a well-made 38, Rovman Powell promoted himself up the order and injected momentum with a blistering cameo. Powell's 36 from 17 balls, which included five towering sixes, three of them off Liam Livingstone, threatened to propel West Indies to a formidable total.
Just when it seemed the hosts might breach the 200-run mark, England’s bowlers staged a comeback. Livingstone redeemed himself by dismissing Powell in the same over, and Jofra Archer removed the struggling Pooran, who managed 36 off 32 balls. Adil Rashid then delivered a crucial blow, enticing Andre Russell into a misjudged shot that resulted in a catch. Despite a late surge from Sherfane Rutherford, who scored a brisk 28 from 15 balls, West Indies posted a total of 180. While respectable, it felt underwhelming given the context of the match.
England's response was swift and assertive. Openers Phil Salt and Jos Buttler set a blistering pace in the powerplay, with Salt particularly ruthless against the West Indies bowlers. His aggressive approach included a monstrous 100-metre six off his KKR teammate Andre Russell. By the end of the powerplay, England had raced to 58 without loss, laying a solid foundation for the chase.
Despite briefly reviving hope by dismissing Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali, West Indies' aspirations were quickly extinguished by Bairstow and Salt. Although Salt momentarily slowed down, he swiftly resumed his aggressive batting, particularly targeting Romario Shepherd. In just one over, Salt scored 30 runs, decisively shifting the game in England’s favor. Bairstow and Salt then guided England to victory with clinical efficiency. Bairstow’s composed batting complemented Salt’s explosive approach, ensuring England comfortably achieved the target with 15 balls to spare. Salt remained unbeaten on 87, while Bairstow contributed 48 not out.
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