Australia underlined their growing T20 depth with a commanding eight-wicket win over West Indies in the second T20I at Sabina Park, taking a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. On a night when Andre Russell bid farewell to international T20 cricket, it was Josh Inglis and Cameron Green who stole the show with a record-breaking partnership.
We have a lot of talented players in Australia. The big three – Hazlewood, Starc, and Cummins – can’t play everything, so it’s crucial to build that next layer. I think we’ve done that well so far.
Put in to bat, West Indies started brightly with a 63-run opening stand between Brandon King and Shai Hope, but lost momentum once Glenn Maxwell dismissed Hope in the eighth over. Adam Zampa (3-29) and Maxwell (2-15) spun a web around the middle order while Nathan Ellis (2-34) chipped in to restrict the hosts to 172/8.
“The spinners were fantastic,” Marsh noted. “They read the conditions well. Zamps and Maxi were spot on today. It made a huge difference.”
King top-scored with a fluent 51 off 36 balls, while Russell gave the home fans one last glimpse of his trademark firepower with a 15-ball 36. Despite those flourishes, too many starts went unconverted — and the West Indies were again let down by sloppy fielding, dropping six catches.
Chasing 173, Australia wobbled early, losing Maxwell (12) and Marsh (21) with just 42 on the board. But Josh Inglis and Cameron Green then stitched together a match-winning, unbeaten 131-run stand — the highest for Australia’s third wicket in T20Is.
Inglis was ruthless, slamming 78 not out off just 33 balls with seven fours and five sixes. Green provided equally muscular support, finishing on 56* off 32 balls. Together, they finished the job with 28 balls to spare.
Inglis, when he bats like that, there aren't many bowlers who can stop him. And Green – he hasn’t played much T20 for Australia, but he’s such a valuable player. He’s showing us why.
West Indies skipper Shai Hope admitted his side faltered in the middle phase of their innings. “To be fair, we started pretty well,” he said. “But we’ve got to rotate the strike better in the middle overs. We’ve got power at the back end, but the momentum dropped. And you can’t drop six catches — you only have yourselves to blame.”
For Russell, it was an emotional end to a glittering T20I career. The two-time T20 World Cup winner expressed gratitude despite the result.
“I’m very grateful to end my career here at Sabina Park,” said Russell. “Played in front of family and friends, the crowd was amazing. The result didn’t go our way, but I’m happy. It’s time to hang it up and wish the boys the best. Keep supporting them.”
Russell bows out as one of the most explosive players in T20I history, leaving behind a legacy of unforgettable finishes and franchise dominance across the globe.
Brief Scores: West Indies 172/8 in 20 overs (Brandon King 51, Andre Russell 36; Adam Zampa 3-29, Glenn Maxwell 2-15, Nathan Ellis 2-34) Australia 173/2 in 15.2 overs (Josh Inglis 78*, Cameron Green 56*; Jason Holder 1-28, Alzarri Joseph 1-50). Australia won by eight wickets; lead series 2-0.
