Highlights: West Indies vs Australia 1st T20I – Super Choke!

West Indies vs Australia 1st T20I Report:

West Indies choked Australia in the chase in the first match of the T20I series. Nicholas Pooran led West Indies in the absence of Kieron Pollard. This was Pooran’s captaincy debut for West Indies.

West Indies put 145-6 in 20 overs after struggling at 65-4 in 11.5 overs. Playing in his 55th T20I match, Russell came to the rescue with a spanking half century while Josh Hazlewood was miserly in his 4 overs spell picking 3 wickets. This was Andre Russell’s first ever half century in T20 International Cricket.

Chasing 146 to win, Australia were off to a smashing start thanks to Matthew Wade’s 14 ball 33 which included 3 sixes. Mitchell Marsh who walked in at no.3 to bat kept the scoring going after Wade’s exit.

West Indies chipped in with wickets at regular intervals which kept them in the hunt.

At 89-3 in 7.4 overs – it looked like Australia were cruising to a easy win but they lost their last 7 wickets for just 38 runs as Hayden Walsh and Obed McCoy ran through the Aussie batting order.

West Indies vs Australia 1st T20I – Match Summary

West Indies 145-6 in 20 overs

Lendl Simmons 27 (28) – 2 fours & 2 sixes

Shimron Hetmyer 20 (25) – 1 four

Nicholas Pooran 17 (16) – 3 fours

Andre Russell 51 (28) – 3 fours & 5 sixes

Josh Hazlewood 4-1-12-3

Mitchell Marsh 4-0-26-2

Australia 127 all out in 16 overs

Matthew Wade 33 (14) – 1 four & 3 sixes

Mitchell Marsh 51 (31) – 5 fours & 2 sixes

Moises Henriques 16 (8) – 2 sixes

Fabian Allen 3-0-24-2

Obed McCoy 4-0-26-4

Hayden Walsh Jr 4-0-23-3

West Indies won by 18 runs

Player of the Match: Obed McCoy (4/26)

Venue: Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia