England vs West Indies LIVE: T20 World Cup latest score and updates
Follow all the action from the Dubai International Stadium
Follow all the action as England begin their T20 World Cup campaign against reigning champions West Indies.
Eoin Morgan’s side will attempt to banish the woes of 2016 when Carlos Braithwaite hit four monstrous sixes in the final over to vanquish Ben Stokes and complete a tremendous chase. “It’s definitely going to be in the back of their minds. For us to be in that situation and get over the line, it shows that sort of never-say-die attitude,” said West Indies captain Kieran Pollard, who missed the final due to injury five years ago. “I thought what Carlos did in those four deliveries in that last over, it’s unbelievable. It’s something that as a team we actually saw last night and it brought goosebumps back to us.”
Morgan has kept his cards close to his chest over his team selection, with plenty of scrutiny on the captain himself due to his poor recent form, and England can afford few slip-ups in a tricky group. If they can prevail in spin-friendly conditions in Dubai, though, and add the T20 World Cup to their ODI crowd, Morgan will go down as one of cricket’s great captains. “The name of the country on the shirt is irrelevant really when it comes to a World Cup,” he said of the task in front of his team. “You need to prove your worth through performance.” Follow all the latest updates below:
England 36-2 (5.1)
Left-armer Obed McCoy, who after some early struggles at the highest level arrives in this tournament with a developing reputation as the next leader of this West Indies attack, replaces Ravi Rampaul. the England pair scramble two as Buttler cuts his first ball to the sweeper.
England 34-2 (5)
Moeen manages to burgle a couple fine of fine leg as Hosein strays down the leg-side with another attempted arm-ball, so Pollard asks Chris Gayle to block the gap at leg slip. Moeen nonetheless pinches one into a space thus left elsewhere on the leg-side.
Buttler does similarly to close the fifth and retain the strike.
OUT! Jonny Bairstow c & b Hosein 9 (6b 2x4 0x6), England 30-2 (4.1)
It’ll be a short stay for Jonny Bairstow! Akeal Hosein gets a third in the powerplay as Kieron Pollard searches desperately for an opening and his left-armer obliges, forcing Bairstow into a false shot with another cleverly delivered arm-ball that the England batter chips back to him. Hosein takes a good catch diving to his right.
Moeen Ali sent in at four to counter the left-arm spinner.
England 30-1 (4)
Phwoar, that’s a good start. A smidge over-pitched from Rampaul and Bairstow is efficiently through the back of the ball, driving straight of mid-off for four.
The next ball is equally swiftly sent to the fence, this time through a vacant point region as Rampaul drags the ball wide of off-stump and Bairstow is able to release his muscular arms with a strong cut.
The final ball is tucked to square leg for a single.
England 21-1 (3.3 overs)
Interestingly it is Jonny Bairstow rather than Dawid Malan who replaces Jason Roy. He starts with two defensive strokes.
OUT! Jason Roy c Gayle b Rampaul 11 (10b 0x4 1x6), England 21-1 (3.1)
Now then? Ravi Rampaul rolls his fingers along the back and side of the ball as he throws in a slower ball on leg-stump. Jason Roy is through his shot early and unable to lift his leg-flick over a reaching Chris Gayle at midwicket. The West Indies have one.
England 21-0 (3)
After a brief delay while umpire Aleem Dar directs some meddlesome children away from an area alongside the sightscreen in which they are playing, the two England openers take five singles from the remainder of the over.
SIX! England 16-0 (2.1)
That’s even better! Akeal Hosein continues and Jason Roy says a proper hello with a magnificent lofted drive over extra cover that sails into the first couple of rows of seats beyond a short-ish boundary.
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