Australia is chasing a 173-run target for victory in the second T20I against the West Indies at Kingston’s Sabina Park.
The West Indies posted 8-172 after Australian captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and chose to bowl first on a spin-friendly deck, with leggie Adam Zampa taking 3-29 in a probing spell.
Opener Brandon King blasted a rapid half-century before the hosts lost 5-35 in an ominous mid-order collapse, but two-time T20 World Cup champion Andre Russell, playing his final match for the West Indies, smashed 37 from 15 balls in a late cameo that featured four sixes. Meanwhile, the Australians dropped three catches, two of which were absolute sitters, in a dreadful fielding effort.
“What is going on with Australia in the field?” former West Indies bowler Ian Bishop cried in commentary.
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Earlier, King slapped four sixes on his way towards a 33-ball fifty, combining with captain Shai Hope for a 63-run opening partnership to get the West Indies off to a flying start. However, the duo departed in consecutive deliveries courtesy of miscued slogs against Australia’s spinners, with Zampa removing King for 51 and tweaker Glenn Maxwell toppling Hope for 9.
The dangerous Shimron Hetmyer survived a marginal LBW call after the drinks break but departed the very next delivery for 14, picking out deep square leg to become Maxwell’s second victim.
MATCH CENTRE: West Indies vs Australia second T20 live scorecard
Zampa struck twice in an over to rattle the West Indies middle order – Roston Chase, earlier dropped by Marsh on 2, chopped on for 16 before pinch-hitter Sherfane Rutherford holed out to deep mid-wicket for a second-ball duck. The West Indies limped towards 5-98 in the 14th over before Russell and Rovman Powell added 41 for the sixth wicket to resurrect the innings, albeit aided by some sloppy Australian fielding.
Crafty seamers Nathan Ellis (2-34 from four overs) and Ben Dwarshuis (1-37 from four overs) ripped through the West Indies tail during the death overs, with spinner Gudakesh Motie hitting a valuable 18 not out.
Australia took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series after defeating the West Indies by three wickets at the same venue on Monday, while Russell received a guard of honour before the match to commemorate his international retirement.
Meanwhile, Australian spinner Matthew Kuhnemann was presented his maiden cap before the match to become the nation’s 113th cricketer in men’s T20Is, finishing with 0-33 from four overs.
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