Leg-spinner Adil Rashid became the first England men’s player to take 100 IT20 wickets; West Indies now move 1-0 up in the five-match series; Games in Grenada will follow on Thursday and Saturday (both starting 5.30pm GMT)
Andre Russell took three wickets and produced an unbeaten partnership with captain Rovman Powell to lead the West Indies to a four-wicket victory over England in the series-opening T20 in Bridgetown.
Phil Salt (40) got England off to a flying start after sharing a 77-run partnership with Jos Buttler (39) inside the opening six overs, having lost the toss and being sent to bat first, only for the West Indies to hit back and bowl the visitors out for 171 within 19.3 overs.
Rehan Ahmed (3-39) took two wickets in successive balls to leave West Indies struggling at 123-6 in reply, following a short weather delay, with Adil Rashid (2-14) also impressing as he marked his 100th T20I appearance by becoming the first England men’s player to reach 100 T20I wickets.
Powell and Russell (29no) then led the charge with an unbeaten 49-run seventh-wicket stand from just 21 balls, as the West Indies chased down their victory target with 11 balls to spare to move 1-0 up in the five-match series.
West Indies grab series opener
Salt smashed six boundaries and one six during his outing but was caught at deep midwicket by a brilliant juggling catch from Shimron Hetmyer, who also had skipper Buttler caught at cow corner, as England failed to build on a fast start that saw them 112-2 midway through their innings.
Will Jacks (17) fired two sixes in his quickfire innings before being removed by Alzarri Joseph (3-54), who conceded 25 runs from his first over – the most expensive of his career – but managed to finish on more respectable figures after mopping up the tail.
England's Will Jacks, right, celebrates with captain Jos Buttler after hitting a six off Alzarri Joseph
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England’s Will Jacks, right, celebrates with captain Jos Buttler after hitting a six off Alzarri Joseph
Romario Shepherd (2-22) brought an end to Ben Duckett’s (14) cameo in the 14th over with a slower ball that was ramped to third and struck again in the 18th over to dismiss Sam Curran (13), but it was the terrific leaping catch from Joseph at long-off that invited the applause of the crowd at the Kensington Oval.
