Holder, Hosein shine as West Indies seal decider to clinch series victory

Holder, Hosein shine as West Indies seal decider to clinch series victory

Jason Holder and Akeal Hosein starred for the West Indies in the fifth and final T20I at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, combining to pick up nine English wickets to help the hosts clinch the decider and seal the series victory 3-2. Defending 179, Akeal Hosein set the tone with career-best figures of 4 for 30 before hometown hero Jason Holder picked up four wickets in four balls in the final over to give the West Indies a 17-run win.

Having conceded 28 runs in a single over just 24 hours earlier, Holder held his nerve at the death in the final T20I to pick up his second T20I five-wicket haul. With England needing 20 runs off the final over, Holder added to the drama by starting with a no-ball, but the all-rounder immediately made amends, bowling a dot ball of the consequent free hit before cutting through the English lower-order. Chris Jordan and Sam Billings were first to go as they picked out the deep midwicket fielder with precision before Adil Rashid sent the hat-trick delivery straight into the hands of Odean Smith on the leg-side boundary.

Holder’s triple strike was enough for the West Indies to seal the series victory, but the all-rounder also uprooted Saqib Mahmood to put the cherry on the cake, becoming only the fourth bowler in T20I history to pick up four wickets in four balls. 

Prior to Holder’s death overs heroics, Akeal Hossein put a dent in England’s run-chase with his left-arm spin. The all-rounder accounted for Jason Roy in the first over of the innings and returned in the middle overs to derail the English run-chase by dismissing Liam Livingstone, James Vince and Phil Salt in quick succession, leaving the visitors stranded at 124 for six. Sam Billings gave England some hope from that point on with a quickfire 41 off 28, but Holder returned to close out the game in sensational fashion.

Earlier, West Indies got off to another excellent start after winning the toss and choosing to bat with openers Brandon King and Kyle Mayers adding 58 runs in the powerplay. However, the introduction of leg-spin through the middle overs saw England claw back into the contest as Adil Rashid dismissed Mayers and Nicholas Pooran while part-timer Liam Livingstone removed Brandon King and Romario Shepherd, leaving the hosts in a tricky position at 113 for four after 16.

Unfortunately for England, their familiar death over issues continued to haunt them as they conceded 66 runs in the final four overs with Kieron Pollard (41* off 25) and Rovman Powell (35* off 17) dismantling Chris Jordan and Reece Topley to take the hosts to 179 in their innings.