Saqib Mahmood sets new England T20I record in powerplay
Lancashire seamer Saqib Mahmood has now set a new record for the most powerplay wickets by an England bowler in a men's T20I series. He achieved the feat during England's third T20I against West Indies, where he returned with 3-17 from his four overs. Despite a difficult phase plagued by injuries over the last two years, Mahmood has been in phenomenal form on this Caribbean tour.
Mahmood's impressive performance in ongoing series
In the ongoing five-match series against West Indies, Mahmood has taken nine wickets in the first three games. Notably, eight of these were claimed during the powerplay. This makes him the first English bowler to take eight powerplay wickets in a single T20I series/competition, bettering David Willey's record of seven from the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup in India.
Mahmood on verge of breaking another record
Mahmood's tally of nine wickets in this series equals the highest for England in a bilateral men's T20I series, a record he now shares with Adil Rashid. If his stellar performance continues, he could potentially break Sam Curran's overall record of 13 wickets for England in any form of T20I series or competition. Curran's record was set during England's triumphant T20 World Cup campaign two years ago.
How did the game pan out?
In the third fixture, England opted to bowl first after a delayed start in Saint Lucia. Mahmood and Jofra Archer spearheaded the attack, limiting West Indies to 37-5. However, West Indies made a comeback with Rovman Powell (54) and Romario Shepherd (28) helping them finish at 145/8. England (149/7) crossed the line with four balls to spare. Sam Curran scored 41 while Liam Livingstone contributed 39 runs.
