1st T20I: Jos Buttler's blistering 96 and Liam Dawson's comeback shine against West Indies; England win by 21 runs
Jos Buttler made a stunning return to T20 cricket on Friday, smashing a commanding 96 off just 59 balls to guide England to a 21-run victory over the West Indies in the first of a three-match series at Chester-le-Street.
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In his first T20 appearance since relinquishing the captaincy, Buttler delivered a masterclass in white-ball batting, showcasing reverse sweeps, ramps, and classical strokes in a knock that included six fours and four sixes. He narrowly missed out on a century, falling lbw to Alzarri Joseph, whose four overs went for 51 runs. England posted a competitive 188/6, setting the tone for a high-stakes contest.
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Liam Dawson, playing his first T20 international in nearly three years, made an instant impact with career-best figures of 4-20. The 35-year-old left-arm spinner dismantled the West Indies middle order, dismissing Johnson Charles, Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase, and Rovman Powell as the visitors stumbled to 167/9.
'He bowled beautifully,' said England captain Harry Brook. 'He's got so many skills.'
Brook's strategy of deploying 12 overs of spin, with contributions from Adil Rashid and Jacob Bethell, was deliberate preparation for next year's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
'We're not completely set on this structure for the team but it's worth a go, and it worked this time,' he added.
The West Indies were left ruing the absence of Akeal Hosein, their premier left-arm spinner, who is yet to join the squad due to delays in UK visa processing. 'He was missed, he's one of our frontline players,' said veteran all-rounder Jason Holder. 'But we had a team good enough to beat England — we just fell a little short, particularly with the bat.'
The series continues on Sunday in Bristol, with England leading 1-0.
Gautam Gambhir sends stern message after Bengaluru tragedy
Brief scores
England: 188/6 in 20 overs (J Buttler 96; R Shepherd 2-33)
West Indies: 167/9 in 20 overs (L Dawson 4-20)
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