West Indies vs England | England tour of West Indies, 2024 | 2nd ODI

Right then, England have staged a thrilling comeback to level the series at 1-1, setting up an electrifying decider in the third and final ODI! The action is set to unfold on November 6th at the iconic Kensington Oval in Barbados, with the first ball scheduled for 6 pm GMT. Be sure to join us well in advance for all the prematch buildup. Until then, it's cheers and goodbye!

The captain of West Indies, Shai Hope says that it was a decent score with the outfield being a bit heavy and the pitch being slightly on the slower side. Feels that they thought it was enough but it wasn't the case. Mentions that personal milestones are irrelevant to him as long as they don't contribute to the team's win. Reckons that they were not disciplined with the ball and gave Livingstone and Curran a lot of easy options to score. Further says that they did not hit their straps with the ball and despite having clear plans, they did not execute well.

Liam Livingstone, the victorious skipper is also the Player of the Match for his outstanding unbeaten knock of 124 runs off 85 balls. He says he backs himself and is enjoying the game at the moment. Adds that with the wind being strong at one end, he focused on making use of it. Appreciates Sam Curran and says he is always aware of what happens around and the way he played took the pressure off of him. Mentions that he was looking for one of their top 6 batters to go big and is just happy that it happened. Concludes that it was a good win and they will now rest and look to come back again at it in the decider.

It's now time for the Presentation Ceremony...

Earlier in the game, England led by John Turner, launched their attack perfectly, dismissing both West Indies openers early and leaving the hosts struggling at 12/2. However, Keacy Carty and captain Shai Hope rose to the challenge, stabilizing the innings with a composed yet brisk 143-run partnership. After Carty’s dismissal, Sherfane Rutherford stepped up seamlessly, building on Hope’s momentum with a 79-run stand that set the stage for a thrilling finish. Shai Hope led by example, reaching a superb century and anchoring the innings, before impactful cameos from Shimron Hetmyer and Matthew Forde propelled the West Indies to an imposing 328/6. England and Liam Livingstone were left searching for answers, rotating through nine bowlers in an attempt to break the West Indies’ flow. Some late relief came when the pacers slowed the pace towards the end, but it proved a little consolation as the West Indies finished strong, setting England a challenging target.

Despite a couple of promising partnerships thereon, England faced setbacks with the dismissals of their set batters, Phil Salt for 59 and Jacob Bethell soon after reaching his maiden half-century. These wickets gave the West Indies a glimmer of hope to break through further. However, Liam Livingstone and Sam Curran responded with a commanding 140-run stand, with Livingstone notching his first ODI century and Curran adding a crucial half-century. Although Matthew Forde claimed Curran's wicket late in the game, the target was well within England’s grasp. They sealed the victory comfortably, finishing with 15 balls to spare and five wickets in hand. Both teams may have lacked experience, but England held their nerve and ramped up the pressure in the death overs, transforming this mammoth chase into what looked like a cakewalk in the final 10 overs.

Chasing a formidable target of 329, Phil Salt set out with clear intent, finding his rhythm straight away. However, Will Jacks struggled to keep up the pace and was soon dismissed by Matthew Forde. The West Indies pacers maintained tight lines, preventing the new batter, Jordan Cox from settling in. Debutant Shamar Joseph then struck decisively, removing Cox early and tipping the scales in the hosts' favour.

Wow, what a masterclass chase from England, led brilliantly by their skipper Liam Livingstone, who stood tall and unbeaten at 124 runs to seal the game. This is the second-highest successful run chase in the Caribbean! With this commanding performance, England not only level the series 1-1 but also set up an exciting decider for the third ODI.