T20 World Cup, England v WI as it happened: Buttler guides ENG home despite some wobbles
Follow live coverage of the Super 12 Group 1 match between England and West Indies in Dubai.

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T20 World Cup, Australia vs South Africa as it happened
West Indies all out for 55. England chase it down in 8.2 overs, with six wickets to spare.
Our bowlers today 🔥 #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/pag6o49ElX
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) October 23, 2021
Andy Zaltzman, TMS statistician:
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) October 23, 2021
"It is the first time that England have won a T20 international with more 10 overs to spare, and it is the first time West Indies have lost with more than 10 overs left"
💻 https://t.co/sMx4K776Kd
📻 5 Live Sport Extra #bbccricket #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/RAXiVfD3p8
Group 1 after 2 matches: Not a bad place to be in, in what could be a closely contested group. A NRR of +3.97 for England!

+3.97 NRR swing for that match. In an IPL season that’s huge, but in a five-game group that’s absolutely enormous. It may mean #WI have to qualify on points alone - unless they hand out a similar thrashing to someone else. #T20WorldCup
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) October 23, 2021
Entire match completed in less than 23 overs. #EngvWI
— Rick Eyre on cricket (@rickeyrecricket) October 23, 2021
England win by 6 wickets and 70 balls remaining: Well, what a night for the world No 1 T20I side. Talk about dropping a marker. Buttler finishes with a four.
England 50/4 after 8 overs (Target 56): Almost another stunning catch! This time Hayden Walsh, an electric fielder, with a big dive in the deep. Just parries it over, goes for four. Life for Morgan.
A catch to remember - Akeal Hosein. pic.twitter.com/jaIeRAGhcM
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 23, 2021
West Indies first wicket of 2007 T20 World cup:
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) October 23, 2021
c Gayle, b Rampaul
West Indies first wicket of 2021 T20 World cup:
c Gayle, b Rampaul
(H/t @tweetsubu22)
YOU CANNOT BETTER IT YOU SIMPLY CANNOT BETTER THAT AKEAL HOSEIN CATCH
— Sritama Panda (@cricketpun_duh) October 23, 2021
England 39/4 (6.1 ov) (Target 56): INCREDIBLE! It needed a few replays (we are not complaining) but WHAT A CATCH BY AKEAL HOSAIN! A stunning caught & bowled to dismiss Liam Livingstone.
Disappointed to not hear 'You cannot do that, Hosein' from Hussain but what a catch! pic.twitter.com/SOMYctzgJc
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) October 23, 2021
ENG 39/3 after 6 overs (Target 56): A no ball in that McCoy over but doesn’t cost much. Livingstone joins Buttler in the middle.
ENG 36/3 after 5,2 overs (Target 56): Moeen Ali is in a hurry to finish things, and is run out. A third wicket for West Indies. We are not going to ask “game on?” yet but WI are certainly doing a decent job on the field. That was a great take at the bowler’s end by McCoy. 36/3.
ENG 34/2 after 5 overs (Target 56): Still no Malan, Moeen has joined Buttler in the middle. Perhaps a sign that Malan is not in England’s Plan A.
c Chris Gayle b Ravi Rampaul
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) October 23, 2021
Combined age of 79 for that dismissal. #T20WorldCup
ENG 30/2 after 4.1 overs (Target 56): OUT! Well, Windies are already getting some moments to celebrate tonight. Hosein with a sharp return catch to remove Bairstow.
ENG 30/1 after 4 overs (Target 56): Back-to-back boundaries! Bairstow doesn’t waste any time in finding his groove, the right-hander plays a gorgeous drive down the ground and follows that up with a cracking cut past extra-cover. Successful but expensive over from Rampaul.
ENG 21/1 after 3.1 overs (Target 56): OUT! Ravi Rampaul gets the first wicket for West Indies as Jason Roy (11 off 10) offers a simple catch to Chris Gayle. Soft dismissal that. Jonny Bairstow is the new batter.
Over cover 😍
— Jofra Archer (@JofraArcher) October 23, 2021
ENG 21/0 after 3 overs (Target 56): Shot! Hosein tosses the first ball of the over up and Roy leans forward to drive it over cover for six. Such a tough shot but he made it look easy. Good over for England, 11 runs come from it. They need 35 off 102.
ENG 10/0 after 2 overs (Target 56): Buttler picks up his second boundary with an on-the-rise drive past extra-cover. Five runs come from Rampaul’s first over.
Ravi Rampaul from the other end.
55 - This (55) is the second lowest score in men's T20I cricket by a full member nation (45 - WI v ENG in March, 2019); this also happens to be the lowest score by a Test playing nation in #T20WorldCup. Dismal.#ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/Bi40HjRkee
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) October 23, 2021
England 5/0 after 1 over (Target 56): Buttler gets going with the most elegant of off drives for four.
A slip and short leg in position. Of course.
Akeal Hosein, Fabian Allen’s replacement, will take up the same role as Windies start with spin.
Lowest men's T20I totals by West Indies:-
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) October 23, 2021
45 - v ENG at Basseterre, 2019
55 - v ENG at Dubai, today
60 - v PAK at Karachi, 2018
71 - v ENG at Basseterre, 2019
All their last 3 T20Is against England feature here.#T20WorldCup
STAT: In the last three completed innings in the evening matches, a total of 31.3 overs bowled and 144 runs scored. We are in for another early finish, should England coast through this.
A disappointing start...😔#WIvENG #MissionMaroon #T20WorldCup #WestIndies pic.twitter.com/t55A3ftArr
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) October 23, 2021
Only Chris Gayle scored double digit for West Indies. pic.twitter.com/rwYOT75NXH
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 23, 2021
England executed the plans perfectly and it was anything but WI throwing away wkts.
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) October 23, 2021
✅ Moeen vs left-handers
✅ Making Simmons hit to the longer side
✅ Hard lengths vs Gayle
✅ Pushing Pooran on the backfoot and nabbing him with a fuller one
✅ Wrist spinner early on vs Russell
Some of the dismissals showed a lack of responsibility... desperate, disappointing... I don’t have words to describe the West Indies performance: Brian Lara says in Star Sports studio
STAT: West Indies bowled out for 55. We repeat... 55. Third lowest score (when all out) in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup history.
WI 55 all out after 14.2 overs: Rampaul goes for a big slog against Rashid because why not. Madness. Bowled. Adil Rashid finishes on 2.2-0-2-4.
WI 55/9 after 14 overs: The West Indies batters hang on for another over. Mills concedes 5.
STAT: 60 is the lowest score by a Test playing nation at the T20 World Cup. Can WI avoid that ignominy?
WI 50/9 after 13 overs: Rampaul and Hosein in the middle.
Cheer goes around the stadium as WI reach 50. That must sting.
WI 49/9 after 12.2 overs: WICKET! McCoy out for a first-ball duck, trying to clear long on. Wow. Just no words at the moment. WI have found fielders with unerring precision.
WI 49/8 after 12.1 overs: Yikes. Kieron Pollard, perhaps worried by running out of partners, takes on Adil Rashid and he doesn’t get the connection. Caught at long on. He is usually so good when he goes down the ground against spinners, but on this occasion he seems to have misread one that came in. WI 49/8.
WI 49/7 after 12 overs: Ian Bishop says on air Akeal Hosein can handle himself with the bat, has a first-class hundred and plays for the same club as Pollard too. Can they add some respectability to the total? Just four singles in that Mills over.
Moeen up front to the lefties, straight through for all four. Mills high pace and hard lengths to Gayle, Pollard & Pooran. Rashid held back until the righties are paired. It’s not rocket science but it’s every tactical change nailed. #ENG #T20WorldCup
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) October 23, 2021
Correction: *Hosein
Every bowling change, every matchup, every half-chance, every mishit, almost every moment has gone #England’s way. This basically never happens - SCENES!#ENGvWI🏏🏴🌴#T20WorldCup
— Nakul Pande (@NakulMPande) October 23, 2021
WI 45/7 after 11 overs: Wicket, four dot balls, Hosein gets off strike. Pollard is just watching on at the moment. The chaos.
WI 44/7 after 10.1 overs: WICKET! WOW. Andre Russell looks to play the perfect forward defence, but unfortunately for him, the ball is past his bat and pad. Adil Rashid strikes first ball. Oh dear, oh dear. Dre gone for a duck.
44-6 is West Indies’ second lowest score after 10 overs at a #T20WorldCup, they were just 32-2 after 10 overs in the 2012 #T20WorldCup final, which they went on to win. #T20WorldCup #ENGvWI
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) October 23, 2021
WI 44/6 after 10 overs: Well, that has not gone per plan A, B or C for West Indies. Drinks break. Penny for Pollard’s thoughts.
Really struggling to come up with a reason why Tymal Mills shouldn't play every game this World Cup. https://t.co/k9xd5wMFyx
— Ben Jones (@benjonescricket) October 23, 2021
WI 42/6 after 8.5 overs: And the procession continues. Mills strikes towards the business end of a long over (nine deliveries because of three wides), Pooran edges one behind. WI 42/6, can Pollard & Russell be the ultimate answer to their troubles at the moment?
Same, Shimron. Same. pic.twitter.com/i2rLS47G3A
— Sritama Panda (@cricketpun_duh) October 23, 2021
West Indies are tottering at 38/5 after 8 overs. Huge rebuild job facing Pooran and Pollard.
This is a nice addition to the broadcast, the height especially. 👏🏽 #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/p1CXmvGjUG
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) October 23, 2021
WI 37/5 after 7.2 overs: FOUR AND OUT! Jordan strikes. The Bravo promotion doesn’t work out. They needed a right-hander in the middle, so the allrounder presumably got pushed up. He hits a four to start the over, going over point. Another cut shot next ball, his innings is cut short. Another sensational catch made to look easy by England. Bairstow this time.
WI 33/4 after 7 overs: 4-1-17-2 for Moeen Ali. Man must be loving Dubai at the moment.
First time in his T20 career that Moeen's bowled four overs of the first seven - absolute dreamland for England, in terms of managing this batting-heavy strategy. #T20WorldCup
— Ben Jones (@benjonescricket) October 23, 2021
WI 31/4 after 5.6 overs: WICKET! FOUR DOT BALLS, FOUR AND OUT! What a start for England. Mills strikes with the last ball of the powerplay. Gayle is out caught, Malan with an outstanding catch at midwicket. England’s fielding has been fantastic.
Tymal Mills to bowl the last over of the powerplay, Gayle on strike. And the pacer starts with four dot balls.
#WIvEng pic.twitter.com/APZWVNmPSa
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) October 23, 2021
Well, well. DJ Bravo in the middle.
Windies applauding Moeen Ali's outstanding start with an early Bravo
— Ben Jones (@benjonescricket) October 23, 2021
WI 27/3 after 4.4 overs: WICKET! England go to Moeen for a third over in the PP, because two lefties in the middle. Hetmyer wants to take him on anyway, hits two fours to start the over. But Moeen and Morgan have the last laugh! Hetmyer can’t clear Morgan at mid on. WI 27/3.
Hetmyer and Gayle in the middle, so Moeen gets another over.
WI 19/2 after 4 overs: Gayle gets going with a couple of fours in the Woakes over, off the first two balls. WI needed that.
WI 9/2 after 3 overs: A wicket maiden from Moeen Ali!
The production crew gave us this shot of the Simmons dismissal live.
Very realistic camera work. Giving us feels of being in the stadium. 😬 pic.twitter.com/C1R5VVJKRP
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) October 23, 2021
Actually surprised Nasser Hussain called Simmons shot brainless on air. Not what one expects from him. Plus, in T20s, it is too big a word.
— Venkata Krishna B (@venkatatweets) October 23, 2021
WI 9/2 after 2.2 overs: WICKET! And both the openers are gone now. Simmons tries to take on a favourable match-up, not wanting to let Moeen Ali get away with another over in the powerplay. But he finds Livingstone in the deep.
WI 9/1 after 2 overs: Gayle joins Simmons in the middle.
WI 8/1 after 1.3 overs: WICKET! Woakes strikes, change of pace does the trick. Lewis tries to go down the ground and it is a really, really good catch running backward from mid off by Moeen. Made that look easy.
U can’t tell me West Indies don’t have the best anthem #tune
— Ravi Bopara (@ravibopara) October 23, 2021
42 - At 42 years and 32 days West Indian Chris Gayle will be the 5th oldest player player to feature in a men's #T20WorldCup and the second player above the age of 40 to feature in this edition (Ryan ten Doeschate - Netherlands - 41 years and 100 days). Boss. #ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/OxHmheJyqZ
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) October 23, 2021
WI 7/0 after 1 over: IPL champion Moeen Ali (the first from England) gets things going. Two dot balls to Simmons, then two dot balls to Lewis... five balls done and just one run. And Lewis goes big off the last ball down the ground for a six. Classic West Indies, says Nasser Hussain on air.
Great to see that smile @tmills15 during the anthem, back playing for England first time since Feb 2017 #Eng #EngvWI #T20WorldCup
— Alison Mitchell (@AlisonMitchell) October 23, 2021
Anthems done. Players ready, they take a knee and we are all set to go for what promises to be a blockbuster contest. ODI World Champions and T20I No 1 or T20I World Champions?
The West Indies anthem ♥️♥️#T20WorldCup
— Lavanya L Narayanan (@lav_narayanan) October 23, 2021
The Ring of Fire for a clash of the T20 titans. #WI v #ENG. Let’s do this. #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/3sbXZKQaW7
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) October 23, 2021
The true World Cup – T20 is the most democratic of all of cricket’s formats and that makes it fun. Read more.
07.22 pm: Mark Wood is out with a niggle reportedly, but wonder who would have replaced in the XI as picked now without changing the balance. Meanwhile, what about that West Indies batting lineup! Dwayne Bravo at No 8. If the top 3 or 4 give them a good start, they are going to end up with winning totals more often than not.
Last match in 2016 v 🏴
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) October 23, 2021
First match in 2021 v 🏴
England win the toss and will bowl first. #WIvENG #MissionMaroon #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/iT4UlPryPU
Massive opportunity for Malan tonight. Has been out of form and with no elite opposition spinner, or anyone turning the ball away from him, proper chance for him to cash in. Batting-heavy line-up *should* free him up for that all-important Powerplay exploitation. #T20WorldCup
— Ben Jones (@benjonescricket) October 23, 2021
Good luck to @Eoin16 and the @englandcricket lads, what a great opportunity to win back2back world cups. Come on lads
— Liam Plunkett (@Liam628) October 23, 2021
Playing XIs:
England: Jos Buttler, Jason Roy, Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Tymal Mills
West Indies: Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Akeal Hosein, Obed McCoy, Ravi Rampaul
Our XI for our opening @t20worldcup game!
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) October 23, 2021
Morgs wins the toss and we will bowl first.#T20WorldCup
England have gone with a batting heavy XI, despite suggestions that he would be dropped Dawid Malan keeps his place.
TOSS: Eoin Morgan wins the toss and England will bowl first.
Great start to the super 12 stage. Going down to the last over. IMHO don’t think either of these 2 teams is that great in these conditions. The big match of this group for me is coming up: Eng vs WI
— Rehan Ulhaq (@Rehan_ulhaq) October 23, 2021
Australia win by 5 wickets! Stoinis hits the winning runs. South Africa fought hard with the ball but they simply hadn’t done enough with the bat.
As we wait for this match to start, a cracking finish unfolding in Abu Dhabi.
06.50 pm: Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the match between England and West Indies in Group 1 of the Super 12 at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Australia and South Africa, who are both chasing their first T20 world title, got the Super 12 stage underway at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Now time for the second match of the day. And what a cracking contest it promises to be.
Defending champions West Indies now face England in Dubai in a repeat of the 2016 final in Kolkata. Reigning ODI world champions vs T20I world champions too.
The last time West Indies faced England at the #T20WorldCup... remember the name! #ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/MZw1Vf6yPB
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) October 23, 2021