Andre Russell celebrates one of his three wickets with teammates.
ICC
Andre Russell starred on his comeback and the West Indies’ conveyor belt of six-hitters sent England tumbling to a four-wicket defeat in Barbados in the first of five T20s.
Russell took a format-best three for 19 in his first international since the 2021 T20 World Cup to help induce an England collapse from 117 for two in the 11th over to 171 all out, with three balls unused.
England disintegrated at the back end, losing their final five wickets for six runs in 15 balls, before the West Indies reeled in their target and completed their highest successful run chase at venue, with 11 balls to spare. The run chase was helped by clearing the rope 14 times.
The Windies looked to be in strife after slipping to 123 for six, but Russell with a 14-ball 29, and captain Rovman Powell with a 15-ball 31, put on an unbroken 49 in 21 deliveries to get them home.
Scores: England 171 all out (19.3 overs); West Indies 172-6 (18.1 overs)
Adil Rashid became the first English man to take 100 T20 wickets on his 100th appearance – he was given his cap by Andrew Flintoff – while fellow leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed collected three for 39.
But despite a switch of format following a miserable World Cup and ODI series defeat against their hosts, England suffered another setback and must regroup quickly for the second T20 in Grenada.
They were on for a 200-plus total following a 77-run opening stand in the powerplay, led by Phil Salt’s freewheeling 40 off 20 balls but never recovered the momentum after he was dismissed by Russell.
Salt edged his second ball past slip off Akeal Hosein for four after England were sent in on the pitch used in the final ODI, but he settled with two more conventional strokes to the rope.
Buttler was in his Lancashire team-mate’s slipstream but brought up England’s 50 with a six off Russell after finally connecting with a ramp at the third attempt.
Joseph leaked 25 in an introductory over spanning nine balls, where he was sent the distance by Salt and saw a wide slip through the legs of wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran en route to the boundary.
It was inevitably Russell who made the breakthrough immediately after the powerplay as Salt tried to muscle over deep midwicket only to be caught by a juggling Shimron Hetmyer.
But Joseph’s nightmare start continued after back-to-back sixes off Jacks, compounding the second by overstepping and conceding 37 off his first seven legitimate balls.
Joseph’s bold decision to take pace off was rewarded as Jacks sent another booming swing straight up in the air and departed for 17 while Buttler, who had never really hit his stride at a venue where he made a golden duck on Saturday, holed out for 39 off 31 deliveries.
At 117 for three, England were in the driving seat, but wickets tumbled from then on as Brook tickled behind off Jason Holder while Duckett got into a tangle attempting a scoop off a much wider delivery from Romario Shepherd than anticipated, instead reverse ramping to short third.
Liam Livingstone briefly sparkled as he thrashed Holder for successive sixes in the 17th over but then chopped on to his stumps for 27, too early on an off-cutter from Russell, who then snared Rehan Ahmed.
Joseph accounted for Rashid and Tymal Mills as England failed to bat out their overs and they were on the back foot in reply after leaking 30 in the first two overs.
Brandon King started the rout with 16 off Sam Curran but added just six more before being dismissed after an outstretched catch from Duckett, who dropped a similar chance to reprieve Kyle Mayers on 17.
Mayers had already put Will Jacks and Tymal Mills on to the Greenidge and Haynes Stand roof and cleared the ropes twice in Ahmed’s opening gambit before perishing for 35, falling metres short of a fifth six from Rashid’s first delivery.
Having amassed 78 in the first seven overs, the Windies found post-powerplay scoring as difficult as England, adding just 39 more in the next seven, which included Ahmed taking a return catch off Pooran and Hetmyer picking out Duckett in the deep to give Rashid his landmark wicket.
Shai Hope belted his third six but perished immediately afterwards for 36 when he targeted Ahmed again while the teenager had two in two when Romario Shepherd – England’s nemesis in the 2-1 ODI loss – edged to slip.
The Windies needed 43 off the last 26 balls but Powell turned the tide with two monster hits off Livingstone while Russell got a top-edge all the way in the next over off Mills.
England’s last roll of the dice was Rashid but he was smeared high over the leg-side boundary by Russell, who fittingly sealed a 1-0 lead for the Windies by hitting Curran for four.
Russell defends CPL's contribution to regional cricket but open to suggestions on improvements
With their long-term agreement with Cricket West Indies (CWI) heavily scrutinised by government leaders and cricket stalwarts, chief executive, Pete Russell of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) defended the product’s positive contribution to cricket in the region.
Addressing the gathering on Friday’s final day of the CARICOM conference on West Indies cricket themed ‘Reinvigorating West Indies Cricket’, Russell said the CPL is one of CWI’s largest domestic commercial partners.
While noting that CPL contributed significantly to player economic welfare, with nearly US$28 million spent on salaries since the start of the tournament in 2013, Russell, also revealed that cumulative losses, across both the league and franchises for the past 11 years, stand at US$40 million.
“Dennis O’Brien and Digicel have been the principal investors, not only investing in the league from day one but they also spent money on sponsorship and media rights. The franchises have also pumped in significant money, money that helps pay players and coaches, as well as investing in local businesses around the region that help make the games happen. All the franchises have made losses.
“So, on the positive side, Cricket West Indies has been paid close to US$17 million in sanction fees, so over the past 12 years CPL would be one of CWI’s largest domestic, commercial partners. Caribbean players have taken home US$27.7 million in player salaries since the tournament’s inception, all paid for by the franchises,” Russell declared during the event held in Trinidad and Tobago.
“Each year, it takes US$25 million to run this tournament over five weeks. CPL and the franchises bear all these costs. There is no financial burden on CWI or the territorial boards, so the risk is 100 per cent ours.
“So that is our starting point each and every year. So as you can imagine, the commercial challenges are considerable just to break even,” he added.
Russell’s response came as government leaders and West Indies legend Sir Clive Lloyd, suggested that the 50-year contract between CPL and CWI be re-negotiated.
The issue of the league’s ownership was also called into question, as they view was largely expressed that there would potentially be more development and earnings for players, if CWI controlled the tournament.
But, Russell, a member of the CPL management team rebutted.
“What is interesting is that other leagues around the world are following the lead of CWI. They are also looking for third-party investors to help fund their leagues. The English Cricket Board are in the process of selling The Hundred, the Australian Cricket Board are courting outside investors for the Big Bash, Cricket South Africa sold all their rights to host broadcaster Supersport, and the new American Major League Cricket is 100 per cent privately owned,” Russell shared.
“In time, only the IPL will end up being 100 per cent owned by its domestic board and that is simply because they can afford to do so. So, trust me when I say, ownership isn’t everything, and smart stewardship and partnership can yield better results. But of course, we’re always happy to listen to any suggestions on how we can improve things,” he ended.
IPL: Royals extend lead at the top after Samson and Jurel see off LSG
Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel combined for an unbeaten partnership of 121 as Indian Premier League leaders Rajasthan Royals defeated Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday.
The Royals have now won eight of their nine matches in the 2024 campaign and are almost certain to be involved in the playoffs after chasing down their victory target of 197 with an over to spare in a seven-wicket triumph.
Another Royals win had looked unlikely when they fell to 78-3 in their run chase after Jos Buttler (34), Yashasvi Jaiswal (24) and Riyan Parag (14) all fell in quick succession shortly before the halfway mark.
But Rajasthan captain Samson fought back as he blasted 71 runs from 33 balls including seven fours and four maximums, while Jurel bounced back from a poor period of form to finish unbeaten on 52 from 34.
LSG reached 196-5 from their innings courtesy of a fine knock from their own skipper, KL Rahul. He reached 76 from 48 before eventually falling to Avesh Khan (1-42) in the 18th over.
Deepak Hooda made it to 50 as LSG rallied from 11-2, but ultimately their competitive total was within reach of the visiting Royals.
Data Debrief
This is the second time in as many home games Rahul has passed fifty, after he scored 82 against Chennai Super Kings last week.
Samson (385) and Rahul (378) are second and third respectively in the race to win this season’s orange cap, although RCB’s Virat Kohli continues to set the pace with 430 runs.
They also narrowly trail Kohli (40) when it comes to the most fours hit in this season’s competition, with Samson on 36 and Rahul just behind with 34.
Babar's captain's innings leads Pakistan to victory as series drawn with New Zealand
Babar Azam top scored as he led his Pakistan team to a nine-run victory over New Zealand in Lahore that saw the five-game T20I series end in a draw.
Babar hit 69 runs off 44 balls before being bowled by Ben Sears, smashing six fours and two sixes to take his team to 123/3 at the time of his dismissal.
Fakhar Zaman (43 from 33) and Usman Khan (31 off 24) also chipped in with important innings as Pakistan ended on 178/5.
With a target of 179 to secure a 3-1 series victory, New Zealand's run chase faltered almost immediately as opener Tom Blundell was removed within the first over with his team having managed just five runs on the board.
Blundell's fellow opener Tim Seifert steadied the ship with a vital 52-run innings off 33 deliveries before being bowled by Usama Mir, but Shaheen Shah Afridi led the way for Pakistan, finishing with figures of 4-30 to stem the New Zealand run chase
Josh Clarkson's 38 off 26 set up a nervy conclusion, but Pakistan held on to avoid defeat in the T20 series as the teams share the spoils at two wins apiece after the first game was abandoned.
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