West Indies vs Australia | 1st T20I: Russell and bowlers stage epic comeback as hosts take 1-0 lead

Nicholas Pooran had a dream start to his T20I captaincy career as West Indies staged a stunning turnaround to win the opening T20I against Australia by 18 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the 5-match series. 

After dominating for the major part of the game, the lower order fell like a pack of cards as the Aussies were skittled out for 128 in just 16 overs. The dramatic come from behind victory was largely possible due to a swashbuckling knock from Andre Russell and some exceptional bowling from Hayden Walsh Jr and Obed McCoy. 

At the halfway mark, West Indies would have been tad disappointed with a score of 145. It was always an under-par score and the bowlers needed to give a great account of themselves for the hosts to stand a chance in the game. The visitors lost their skipper Aaron Finch early but it was Matthew Wade who blazed his way to a quick-fire 33 off just 14 deliveries. 

He took Andre Russell by the scruff of the neck and smashed him for back to back sixes before perishing while trying to slice one over the deep point fielder. Wade and Joshua Philippe was dismissed in quick succession but the target looked within reach and the middle and the lower middle-order batsmen just needed to bid their time at the crease to claw their way towards the target. 

However, they opted for a different approach and started taking the Windies bowlers head-on. The ploy to experiment with Mitchell Marsh at No 3 worked wonder as the stylish right-hander notched up his maiden T20I half-century. He looked in stupendous touch and struck 5 fours and a couple of sixes during his stay at the crease. 

Moises Henriques started off in a dramatic manner helping himself to hit back to back sixes in the first two deliveries. The duo looked set and secure at the crease but Henrique’s dismissal at a crucial juncture of the game opened the floodgates for a possible collapse. Marsh was dismissed immediately after reaching his half-century and it was the leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr who suddenly turned the game on it’s head. 

Pooran decided to hold Walsh back but with 41 required off the last 10 with 7 wickets in hand, the hosts looked dead and buried. However, the wrist-spinner had other ideas as he spun around the Aussie middle and lower-middle order bagging the wickets of Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott and Daniel Christian. Still, the match looked in Australia’s grasp but they let that slip in the 16th over bowled by Obed McCoy. 

The left-arm pacer who had a terrific time with the ball against South Africa did his reputation no harm and scalped four big wickets to turn the game in his team’s favour. McCoy trusted his back of the hand slower deliveries and wiped out in the tail in no time. Eventually, the home team sealed a comfortable 18 runs victory.

Earlier in the day, it was Aaron Finch who won the toss and put the hosts in. Openers Evin Lewis and Lendl Simmons came out to open. Hazlewood bagged the dangerous Lewis in his very first over and that never really allowed the Windies top order to set the tone for their star-studded lower middle order. 

Lendl Simmons did strike some lusty blows during his run a ball 27 but the overall run rate was nowhere close to where the hosts would have wanted to be. Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran got off to starts but the much-needed late impetus was provided by none other than Muscle Russell. 

Andre Russell looked in sensational touch right from the word go and the Australian bowling attack had no answer in front of his onslaught. He took both the spinners and pacers apart smashing his way to a 28 ball 51 which included 3 fours and 5 sixes. 

All-rounder Fabian Allen who returned to the XI after missing out on the series decider against South Africa finished off the innings with a big six to get West Indies to the 145 mark. In the end, it proved to be enough as an inspired bowling performance by the home team saw them taking a 1-0 lead. 

Brief Scores 

West Indies 145/6 in 20 overs (Andre Russell 51*, Josh Hazlewood 3/12) 

Australia 127 all-out in 16 overs (Mitchell Marsh 51, Obed McCy 4/26, Hayden Walsh Jr 3/23) 

West Indies won by 18 runs