England Crush West Indies by 7 Wickets to Take 2-0 Lead in T20 Series

After their dominant 8-wicket win in the first T20I, England continued their commanding performance by defeating the West Indies by 7 wickets in the second match, taking a 2-0 lead in the 5-match series.

Batting first at The Oval, the West Indies posted a total of 158/8 in their allotted 20 overs. However, England chased down the target in just 14.5 overs, showing their dominance with the bat.

The West Indies’ innings got off to a rocky start. They lost both openers with the score on just 20 runs. After a quick 7-ball 13 from Roston Chase, the pressure mounted, and the innings struggled to gain momentum. Rovman Powell, however, stuck around and looked to steady the ship. But with Nicholas Pooran falling for just 14 off 23 balls, the hosts were back in trouble.

Powell, the top scorer for the West Indies, made 43 runs off 41 balls before being dismissed. His knock remained the highest score of the innings. Late resistance came from Romario Shepherd (22 off 12 balls) and Matthew Ford (13 off 6 balls), but they could only manage 158 runs in the end.

England's bowlers were on top throughout, with Shakib Mahmood, Liam Livingstone, and Dan Mousley taking 2 wickets each.

In reply, England’s chase got off to a shaky start when Phil Salt was dismissed for a golden duck. However, the partnership between Dawid Malan and Jos Buttler turned the game on its head. The pair added a quick 129 runs off just 72 balls, with Malan contributing a quickfire 38 runs off 29 balls before being dismissed.

Buttler then took charge of the chase, playing a stunning knock of 83 off 45 balls, which included 8 fours and 6 sixes. His aggressive innings, combined with Livingstone's late fireworks, ensured that England would easily cross the target. Livingstone, who arrived at the crease after Buttler's departure, finished the game with an unbeaten 23 runs off 11 balls, hitting a six off Shepherd to seal the win.

Buttler’s match-winning knock earned him the Player of the Match award. England finished with 160/3 in just 14.5 overs, taking a 2-0 lead in the series with three matches still to play.

This clinical performance puts England firmly in control of the series as they look to complete a dominant tour of the West Indies.