West Indies vs England T20I series: Decoding key player battles
The five-match T20I series between hosts West Indies and England will get underway on December 13 in Barbados. The Men in Maroon would be high on confidence, having clinched the ODI leg of the home series. Jos Buttler's men would be required to regroup and bring an end to their torrid run. Here we decode the anticipated player battles on display.
Jos Buttler versus Alzarri Joseph
Buttler, who has been short of runs lately, would be required to step up while opening the batting. He would tackle Alzarri Joseph's thunderbolts with the new ball early on. The England skipper boasts an impressive record against Joseph, smashing 60 runs off 25 deliveries against him in T20 cricket. The WI pacer is yet to dismiss Buttler in the format.
Liam Livingstone versus Akeal Hosein
While Buttler has the onus to score runs up front, Liam Livingstone is the designated finisher of the side. The latter might have to tackle Akeal Hosein's left-arm spin in the middle overs. Notably, Hosein has troubled Livingstone big time in T20 cricket, dismissing him twice across seven balls in the format. Livingstone's overall T20 strike rate against left-arm spinners reads 142.94.
Andre Russell versus Sam Curran
Andre Russell is back in the WI squad and many eyes will be on him. His destructive batting in the end overs has given nightmares to the best of bowlers. Sam Curran, who has been brilliant with his variations, would look to keep Russell quiet. Though Curran has dismissed Russell twice in five T20 innings, the latter's strike rate in this battle is 245.
Nicholas Pooran versus Adil Rashid
Another West Indies dasher who can give a hard time to England bowlers is Nicholas Pooran. The southpaw can go big in the middle overs besides providing the finishing touches. Pooran, however, has struggled against Adil Rashid's leg-spin in the T20 format. The latter has dismissed the left-handed batter twice in seven T20 meetings, conceding just 35 runs off 40 balls in this battle.
Shimron Hetmyer versus Tymal Mills
Shimron Hetmyer is another swashbuckler who can change the course of the game on his own. Tymal Mills would like to keep him quiet using all his experience. The left-arm speedster can set the speed gun on fire besides deceiving batters with his variations. Hetmyer, however, has smashed Mills for 11 runs off four balls in T20 cricket.
