Nov 11, V7N-England captain Jos Buttler played a match-winning knock of 83 off 45 balls to lead his side to a seven-wicket victory over West Indies in the second T20 International in Barbados, taking a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Buttler's performance, which included six sixes, anchored England's chase of West Indies' 158, which had been bolstered by 32 runs from the final two overs.
 
The West Indies had struggled early in their innings, with England's bowlers, including Jofra Archer, reducing them to 35-3 in the first four overs. A recovery led by captain Rovman Powell, who scored 43, kept them in the game, but West Indies lost momentum after Powell was bowled by Dan Mousley for his first T20I wicket. Tailenders, led by Romario Shepherd’s 22 from 12 balls, added late runs to give the hosts something to defend.
 
England's chase faltered briefly when opener Phil Salt was dismissed for a duck off the first ball of the innings. However, Buttler, on his second match back after a four-month injury layoff, formed a crucial 128-run partnership with Will Jacks (38). Buttler fell shortly after, but Liam Livingstone’s unbeaten 23 ensured that England wrapped up the victory with five overs to spare.
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Buttler expressed his enjoyment of getting time in the middle, saying it was great to be back and that he was adapting to the various batting positions. West Indies' captain Powell, reflecting on the game, pointed out the need for top-order batters to anchor the innings in future games if they were to challenge England.
 
With two matches to spare, England has the chance to seal their first white-ball series win in the Caribbean since 2019 when the teams meet again in Saint Lucia on Thursday.