WI vs Aus | Powerful Evin Lewis, disciplined bowlers script Windies' 4-1 win over Aussies

A blistering half-century from Evin Lewis and just enough discipline from the bowling department supported by super fielding efforts helped West Indies win the final T20 of the series by 16 runs. With the win, the hosts completed a complete trouncing of Australia by 4-1 in the five-match series.

Evin Lewis was adjudged Man of the Match for his 34-ball 79 with the help of nine massive sixes and the leg spinner Hayden Walsh Jr. was awarded Man of the Series for his consistency with the ball in the series.

Not all Windies batsmen fired well to their potential and form but Lewis’ blitzkrieg more than made up for it and Windies could post 199 runs on the board.

Chasing a mammoth total, Australia were rocked early by Sheldon Cottrell, who beat Josh Phillipe for pace. Mitchell Marsh, who has been their go-to man in the series started on dominating note by pulling a fiery Oshane Thomas from the front foot over the midwicket. He was on song once again and helped a sluggish Aaron Finch at the other end. However, but a superb return catch by Andre Russell sent him back to derail Australia’s efforts.

Then, two brilliant pieces of fielding by Fabian Allen and Nicholas Pooran rang alarm bells for the Aussies. Finch was limping and hence was going for all money every ball before he mistimed Hayden Walsh’s delivery but only to find Allen plucking the ball with one hand while running across from long-on. 

Nicholas Pooran was alert enough to find Moises Henriques short of the crease and Australia were down without their top order by the 10th over.

Their run rate was up but repetitive fall of wickets in the middle phase of the game never allowed them to stay in the game. Although they could carry their score to 183, they were never in with the chance after the dismissal of Matthew Wade and Alex Carey.

Cottrell was the pick of Windies’ bowlers and picked up three wickets without conceding too many runs in a high scoring game while Andre Russell’s three-wicket haul turned the game decisively in the hosts’ favour.

Earlier, West Indies had decided to bat first and unleashed the opening pair of Lewis and Andre Fletcher. The right-hander struggled to time the ball and it was Lewis who kept Windies going in the powerplay.

Chris Gayle took off from the word go in a good sign of continuing with the good form and he smashed the leg spinner Adam Zampa as both the bowler and his captain watched cluelessly. However, his journey was cut short in the next over of leg-spin by Mitchell Swepson.

Gayle’s wicket was to be the only respite for Swepson as Lewis got stuck into him and deposited for four back to back sixes as Windies pressed on for a big score on the board.

Lendl Simmons struggled for runs and timing but Nicholas Pooran and Gayle smashed enough boundaries to make sure that the task of taking Windies to a big score was not left on Lewis alone.

The big win over Australia would come as a welcome respite for the Windies after tasting defeat at the hands of South Africa and that too in the absence of regular skipper Kieron Pollard.

On the other hand, Australians were handed a reality check of the value Glenn Maxwell brings to the table. However, the success of Mitchell Marsh must have settled some uncomfortable questions in the minds of team management leading up to the ICC World T20 in October.