In the third T20 of the series at St Lucia, England sealed a dramatic three-wicket victory over the West Indies, securing an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
Chasing a target of 146, England faced early trouble as they stumbled to 37-3 during the powerplay. Sam Curran, however, played a pivotal role in stabilising the innings, scoring a fluent 41 off just 26 balls. His departure left England in a strong position, but the responsibility fell to Liam Livingstone to see them through.
Livingstone, dropped three times during his innings, made the most of his opportunities. He was let off twice by Nicholas Pooran on six and eight, and again by Shimron Hetmyer on 21. The hard-hitting all-rounder made the West Indies pay, smashing 16 runs in a single over off Alzarri Joseph to bring England within touching distance of victory. Although he was dismissed with just four runs needed, England crossed the finish line with four balls to spare.
Earlier, England’s bowlers had put the visitors in control. Saqib Mahmood’s fiery opening spell dismantled the West Indies' top order, claiming three wickets in the powerplay and reducing the hosts to 37-5. Jamie Overton also delivered a stellar performance, taking 3-20. Rovman Powell’s resilient half-century provided some resistance, but the West Indies could only manage 145-8 from their 20 overs.
Despite some nervy moments in the chase, England held their composure and will now head into Saturday’s fourth T20 in St Lucia with the series already wrapped up.
Score Summary:
- West Indies: 145-8 (20 overs): Powell 54 (41); Mahmood 3-17, Overton 3-20
- England: 149-7 (19.2 overs): Curran 41 (26), Livingstone 39 (28); Hosein 4-22
England triumphed by three wickets to claim the series win with two matches remaining.