Sherfane Rutherford blasts unbeaten 76 to crush England's chase hopes
In a display of raw power and tactical spin, the West Indies secured a convincing 30-run victory over England during the 15th match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup at Wankhede Stadium. The West Indies vs England T20 World Cup clash on Wednesday night kept fans on the edge of their seats as the Caribbean side defended a total of 196 with style.
England elected to field first, a decision that seemed correct initially. The Windies top order crumbled under pressure, losing openers Brandon King and Shai Hope cheaply to leave the scoreboard reading a precarious 8 for 2. However, the middle order showed immense resilience. Roston Chase steadied the ship with a calm 34, but it was Sherfane Rutherford who truly turned the game around.
Rutherford played a sensational knock, smashing an unbeaten 76 off just 42 balls. His innings, peppered with seven towering sixes, lifted the West Indies to a formidable 196/6. He found an able partner in Jason Holder, who chipped in with a quickfire 33 to punish the English bowlers in the death overs.
Chasing 197, England began aggressively. Phil Salt (30) and Jacob Bethell (33) kept the run rate high during the powerplay. At one stage, England looked comfortable at 67/1. But the introduction of spin changed the complexion of the match. Gudakesh Motie spun a web around the English batters, claiming three crucial wickets for 33 runs.
Sam Curran fought a lone battle for England with a gritty 43 not out, but he ran out of partners. The West Indies bowlers, led by Motie and Roston Chase, picked up wickets at regular intervals, eventually bowling England out for 166 in 19 overs. This victory serves as a strong statement from the Men in Maroon in this tournament.
Image Source: ESPN / ICC
