Pre-Match Vibes & Team Changes
Alright, so Australia’s got Marsh leading the charge, and this guy just keeps winning those coin tosses—there’s definitely some kind of magic happening there. They’re bowling first again, which makes sense since chasing is really their strong suit. Both teams decided to shake things up a bit: the West Indies brought in Casey Carty and Alzarri Joseph, looking for some extra firepower on both sides. The Aussies swapped in Ben Dors for Bartlett, plus Tim David is back after smashing a massive hundred the other night. You could see Marsh was eager for some serious runs from the top order.
And hey, here’s a cool milestone—Adam Zampa played his 100th T20I for Australia. Not a common sight! He got a nice moment, standing there grinning with the trophy. Meanwhile, Shai Hope is gaining some recognition as West Indies’ skipper, and his batting? Still top-notch.
West Indies Innings: Struggling Under Pressure
The Windies came out swinging—well, sort of. Brandon King got a boundary right off the bat, a bit lucky with an edge, then launched a proper shot that looked good for a moment. But those good times didn’t stick around. Dors, who had a shaky start, found his rhythm and sent Shai Hope packing with a perfect delivery—classic stuff. The local fans? Definitely disappointed.
King wasn’t having his best day either. Maxwell dropped him initially, but he didn’t last much longer. Tried to take on Tim David but David’s hands are like glue, and King had to walk back for just 11. Windies were struggling at 22 for two.
It didn’t get much better from there. Carty’s comeback? A total letdown, just one run off eight balls. Maxwell redeemed himself for the earlier drop by trapping Carty.
Rutherford tried to step up—hit a few good shots and looked like he was getting into it. The guy’s got some serious power, no doubt. He made 35 before Maxwell got him with a delivery that zipped through. Windies at 64 for four… not exactly thriving.
Holder and Hetmyer tried to hold things together, but Holder edged one off Abbott for 20. Shepherd came in, swung hard, but Ellis had his number—quick ball, right on the off stump, and he was out for eight, leaving Windies at 123 for six.
Then Matthew Ford came in with a late burst—hit a six, took a free hit for four, putting up 15 quick runs. A bit of late energy for sure, but it didn’t really shift the narrative.
Hetmyer’s Lone Stand
Even as wickets kept falling, Hetmyer played with calm and maturity. He’s faced Zampa all series, and this time he really went for it, hitting some classy shots. He picked up his sixth T20I fifty, keeping things from getting completely embarrassing. Eventually, Abbott got him with a slower, wider delivery—Hetmyer out for 50, while West Indies sat at 155 for seven.
Alzarri Joseph came out late, and Zampa, celebrating his big milestone, knocked him over for three. West Indies all out for 170.
Aussie Bowlers Bring the Heat
As for the Aussie bowlers? They were spot on. Dors was a monster early on, especially in sending Hope packing after a couple of hiccups. Abbott was reliable, taking down Holder and then Hetmyer (with a catch, not a wicket, but still crucial). Ellis came in towards the end and wiped out the tail—two wickets, mixing up pace and angle. Maxwell grabbed Rutherford, and Zampa, fittingly, finished off Joseph. Everyone contributed—solid team performance. West Indies ended with 170, largely thanks to Hetmyer (52), Rutherford (35), Holder (20), and Ford (15).
Australian Chase: Ready to Roll
Australia needed 171, and—well, you can probably guess how this is going to play out…