West Indies vs England Prediction: West Indies outperformed England in recent games

West Indies and England are going head to head in the 2nd Match of the T20 Series at Grenada National Cricket Stadium, Saint George's on 14 Dec 2023. West Indies have performed relatively better in recent head-to-head games against England. Who will win this game of cricket?

The West Indies have carried their winning momentum from the previous ODI series against England this month into the first T20I match against the same team. A victory in this match would bring them one step closer to sending England home with two series defeats. Andre Russell, the all-rounder who made a strong impact in the T20I series opener, showcased his skills with both bat and ball. Despite it being his first T20I in two years, Russell scored a quick 29 runs and took three wickets, earning him the player of the match award. He is expected to play a key role in the upcoming fixture. Another player to watch out for is Alzarri Joseph, who also took three wickets in the series opener and troubled the opposition batters with his accurate lines, lengths, and pace. Conditions in Grenada are likely to be favourable for Joseph as well. In the first T20I, four of the West Indies' top six batters reached 20 runs, but none managed to score more than Shai Hope's 36. The home team should focus on improving their conversion rate, as at least one of their batters should have gone on to score 50 or more in the previous match.

Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Rovman Powell (c), Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Andre Russell, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Gudakesh Motie, Akeal Hosein, Alzaari Joseph

England is still struggling to overcome the negative effects of their disappointing performance in the 2023 Cricket World Cup. The Windies are capitalizing on this situation, and a single win in this match could provide the necessary motivation for Captain Jos Buttler and his team to succeed for the remainder of the tour.

Buttler and opening partner Phil Salt performed exceptionally well in the first T20I, establishing a partnership of 77 runs in the initial seven overs. However, the middle and lower order failed to carry forward this momentum, and the bowlers struggled against the home team's batsmen.

For the second match, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, and Ben Duckett should all strive to contribute more runs individually and collectively. Livingstone, in particular, has to prove himself in the face of global criticism regarding his decline in form.

England exhibited strength against Windies spinner Akeal Hosein in the previous game. The hosts chose Hosein as the opening bowler, but he was neither economical nor successful in taking wickets. This presents the visitors with another opportunity to take advantage of the specialist slow bowler in this match.

Jos Buttler (c/wk), Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Tymal Mills, Reece Topley, Adil Rashid

The National Cricket Stadium in Grenada has hosted six T20Is since its debut in 2020. Out of these, the team batting first has emerged victorious in five matches. It is highly probable that the team winning the toss in this match will choose to bat first.

In the past three T20I matches played at this venue, the first innings totals were 168, 167, and 167 respectively. All three totals were sufficient to win the matches. Therefore, a first innings score of around 160 in this match can be considered competitive. It would be beneficial to have two specialist spinners in the team, especially if the pitch appears dry a day before and on the day of the match.

In terms of weather, there is a high likelihood of rain in Grenada on the day of the match. If the match is shortened due to rain, the team batting second and chasing a revised target would have an advantage.

The West Indies team has the momentum that England lacks. The home team is expected to win again in this match, particularly if Russell performs as impressively as he did in the first T20I. Therefore, it is recommended to place a bet on the West Indies.