Australia wrapped up a commanding tour of the West Indies with a three-wicket win in the fifth and final T20I at Warner Park, Basseterre, completing a flawless 8-0 sweep across formats.
Choosing to field, Australia’s pacers were on the money from the outset. Left-armer Ben Dwarshuis, recalled for the finale, tore into the West Indies top-order with figures of 3/41, removing both openers Brandon King and Shai Hope in the powerplay.
We spoke pre-tour about flexibility,” “No Aussie team had completed a T20 sweep here. The way everyone stepped in was phenomenal.
Though Shimron Hetmyer fought back with a punchy 52 off 30 balls, including a flurry of boundaries against Dwarshuis, his dismissal shortly after his half-century stalled the hosts’ momentum. From 156/6, they collapsed to 170 all out in 19.4 overs, managing just 14 runs in the final three overs.
Middle-Order Muscle Seals the Chase
In reply, Australia suffered an early wobble at 25/3, with Marsh, Glenn Maxwell and Josh Inglis all falling cheaply. But the middle-order once again proved their worth as Cameron Green (32), Mitchell Owen (37) and Tim David (30) steadied the chase with aggressive, fearless batting.
David, fresh from a break after his century in the third T20I, returned with intent. He launched two towering sixes each off Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph to tilt the momentum, before being dismissed while going for another big shot.
The 22-year-old Owen then tore into Matthew Forde with a blistering over that went for 22 runs, followed by another over costing 21, leaving the hosts reeling.
We played some great cricket. T20 is evolving fast, and we’re trying to stay ahead with our power hitting and adaptability.
Green Grabs Player of the Series Honours
Though Akeal Hosein threatened a late twist by removing Owen, Green and Dwarshuis in a fine spell of 3/17, Aaron Hardie’s calm, unbeaten 28 sealed the deal with 18 balls to spare.
For Green, consistency was the hallmark of the series. “A lot of guys had great series,” he said. “There are five players in this team who could bat No.4. I had great partnerships and learnt a lot. Hopefully I’ll be back bowling soon too.”
His contributions with bat and ball across all five games earned him the Player of the Series award.
The Big Picture: Australia’s Depth on Display
From sweeping the Test series 3-0 to a 5-0 T20I drubbing, Australia’s tour of the Caribbean underscored their depth, flexibility, and white-ball prowess. With each game throwing up different match-winners, the visitors proved too strong for a struggling West Indies side that lacked consistency and composure.
As Marsh summed it up: “We’ve had guys come in, play different roles, and make a difference. That’s what top sides do.”
Brief Scores: West Indies 170 all out in 19.4 overs (Hetmyer 52, Rutherford 35; Dwarshuis 3-41, Ellis 2-32) Australia 173/7 in 17 overs (Owen 37, Green 32, David 30, Hardie 28*; Hosein 3-17) Australia won by 3 wickets and swept the series 5-0
