Right then, that is it from this game where England make it three wins in a row. They seal the series and will want to continue the winning momentum while West Indies will play for their pride in the remaining couple of matches. The 4th T20I will be played on 16th November at 8 pm GMT, but as you know, you can always join us for all the build-up to the encounter. Until then, cheers and goodbye!
Jos Buttler, the victorious skipper of England says the collective effort to win the series is special. Adds that the bowlers have set the tone in all the games and Saqib Mahmood and Jofra Archer have been really good for them with the new ball. Mentions that they have a solid team and there is good competition for spots between the players which is a good sign. Appreciates Sam Curran and says the players are stepping up and putting in good performances. Concludes that they look forward to continuing the momentum.
Rovman Powell, the captain of West Indies says that it is pretty disappointing to lose so many wickets in the Powerplay. Adds that they did talk about it but they still lost wickets in clusters which makes things difficult. Tells that in this game, he and Romario Shepherd were able to build up a partnership but they need to be a bit more sensible which is missing from their game. Mentions that Akeal Hosein has been fantastic in this series and hopes that he continues the form. Ends by saying that the remaining two matches are still important as the fans will get to see two great T20I sides compete against each other and expects them to be good contests.
Saqib Mahmood is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his 3 wickets giving away just 17 runs. He says as a bowling unit they have had the mindset of picking early wickets against this fully stacked West Indies batting lineup. Adds that it has been great thus far and his relationship with Jofra Archer has only helped both. Mentions that it was a nervy finish towards the end and he did not want to bat and is really happy with the win.
Presentation Time...
Earlier in the game, West Indies staged a strong recovery to post a competitive total, despite losing half their side within the Powerplay. Skipper Rovman Powell led the way with a gritty 54 off 41, supported by valuable contributions from Romario Shepherd and Joseph down the order. Jamie Overton and Saqib Mahmood shared six wickets evenly between them, with the momentum shift sparked by a brilliant run-out from Jacob Bethell.
West Indies, on the other hand, will be disappointed with their effort. They began well in the Powerplay with Akeal Hosein picking up two crucial wickets. Alzarri Joseph followed it up with another to put the batters under pressure. However, they failed to build on that and let England build up a partnership to get back in the game. They did create opportunities but did not grab them. Gudakesh Motie managed to get a breakthrough in the middle overs, but Nicholas Pooran dropping Liam Livingstone twice in consecutive overs cost them the game. Hosein was the only shining light with four wickets while Terrance Hinds also finally got one wicket, but all in all, it was another disappointing outing for the Windies.
Liam Livingstone did get a couple of early lives and made sure to make the most of it. He lost Sam Curran at a crucial stage but kept his cool under pressure even with little support from the other end. He picked his moments, hung in there, and took England within touching distance before unfortunately getting out on 39 off 28. Jamie Overton and Rehan Ahmed finished the job for them sealing the series win as well.
England had a slow start and found themselves under pressure after early losses, with both Phil Salt and Jos Buttler falling quickly. Jacob Bethell couldn’t make much of an impact either. However, Will Jacks looked solid, and alongside Sam Curran, they steadied the innings with sensible batting, dispatching any loose deliveries. With no pressure from the required run rate, they could take their time and settle, setting the visitors up well. England faced a minor setback when Jacks departed after a steady 32 off almost a run a ball, but Curran and Liam Livingstone carried on, keeping things stable for a while.
ENGLAND MAKES IT 3-0 AND SEALS THE SERIES! A pretty good performance from them and they get a rare win in St. Lucia which has not been a happy hunting ground for them in the last couple of years. Credit to West Indies for dragging the game to the last over but they only have themselves to blame as they could not grab their moments while defending it.
In over# 20
4
1
Terrance Hinds 30/1(2.2)
19.2
4
FOUR! What a shot to seal the game and the series! England win by 3 wickets! This is pitched full, on off, Rehan Ahmed opens the bat face and slices it over point for a boundary.
19.1
1
Scores are level! On a length, just outside off, Jamie Overton steers it to deep third for a single.
Who will bowl the last over? It will be Terrance Hinds. England need just 2 runs to win.
In over# 19
0
1
1
0
0W
1
Akeal Hosein 22/4(4)
18.6
.
Full, on middle, Rehan Ahmed taps it to mid-wicket.
18.5
1
Short and on middle and leg, Jamie Overton turns it around to mid-wicket who fumbles and the batters cross. England just 2 runs away now!
18.4
1
Pitched up, on off, Rehan Ahmed drives it to deep cover for a single.
18.3
.
Full, on middle and off, Rehan Ahmed gets behind the line and blocks.