Deighton Butler (West Indies), Gregory Brathwaite (West Indies), Leslie Reifer (West Indies, TV)
Referee
Reon King (West Indies)
Toss
Australia elected to bowl
Pitch Report
It is pitch no. 3 from the Michael Holding end with 64m on both sides. We have perfect batting conditions. It is hard, firm and the bounce is true. The bowlers need variations and the best of it is pace off the ball.
VENUE STATS
1st Innings
168Avg Runs
7Avg Wkts
140.08Avg
SR
2nd Innings
154Avg Runs
6Avg Wkts
136.78Avg
SR
Weather Update
Weather Update
Kingston,West Indies
Updated: 23 Jul 08:30
25.2°CClouds
100%
Clouds
0%
Rain %
5.1 kmph
Wind
Playing XILineups Out
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The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
That will be all from this contest but there's loads more cricket lined up, including the start of the Manchester Test between England and India. Do ensure to catch up on our coverage of that as well as further cricketing action from around the world and make sure you're back for the third T20I between West Indies and Australia, with the first ball to be bowled at 7 PM local time on Friday (4:30 AM IST on Saturday). For the moment, this is the duo of Bidipto Datta and Sooryanarayanan Sesha taking your leave. Thank you so much for joining us as we hope you enjoyed our coverage. See you again soon. Take care and buh-bye for now!
A comprehensive, resounding win for the Australians and they continue to maintain a 100 per cent win record on this Caribbean sojourn. The West Indies haven't played too badly in the T20 leg but they need a turnaround and quickly at that with every game now a must-win encounter with the party moving to St. Kitts. They will be desperately hopeful that a change in venue brings about a change in fortune as well.
Mitchell Marsh (Australia captain): "I think we've got a lot of talented players. We know the likes of Hazlewood, Starc, Cummins and Head are not going to be able to play all three formats all the time. So it's good to look into the depth of the squad and have as many options as we can. First and foremost you just want guys to come in and try and feel as relaxed as they can. International cricket is a big step up but it's more mental and it's about trying to create a good environment for them. We've executed well in the first two games. (On the vision Australia have for Cameron Green) I'm not sure I'm the one to be making those decisions but he's obviously a very valuable player for us. Not played a lot of T20 cricket for Australia partly because he's played a lot of Test cricket. But he's come back well from injury and he's a very valuable player going forward. I think we dropped four catches (laughs) so we need to sharpen up there. The West Indies can put you under a lot of pressure. The spinners were fantastic. Josh Inglis, when he's playing like that, there are not many bowlers in the world who can bowl to him. That was an outstanding innings."
Shai Hope (West Indies captain): "We started pretty well, but, we need to rotate strike better. And we need to finish innings well. We have toe power at the back-end, but, we need to put things into perspective. We have prepared well, but, the execution part is the problem right now. As far as dropped catches go, you only have to blame yourselves. But, it's part of the game and we do hope to control it."
Josh Inglis (Player of the Match, 78* off 33 balls and a catch): "I think it's just the nature of my size really, to be innovative! I need to find ways to score and different area of the ground. Batting in different positions helps in a way to adapt and score runs, but I really enjoyed playing out there today. This young group has been out there together for around 18 months and is gelling well. A bit lucky to be dropped earlier, and having negotiated spin earlier on, got it going nicely!"
10:29 PM local time (8:59 AM IST): It's time for the post-match presentation!
And here's what the man himself has to say. Andre Russell, one final time in international cricket: I just want to say thanks again. Thanks again to the people at Sabina Park and the West Indies cricket board for making this possible. Very grateful to end my career here, playing in front of my home crowd, family and friends. It was very important for me. The result didn't go my way but I'm happy and grateful. Wish the boys all the best and wish them luck going forward. THe crowd has been amazing for the last two games. Just want to say thanks again. Really appreciate the turnout. Sorry the result didn't go our way but we really appreciate the support. What I'd remember the most are the two World Cups we won. Seeing the flags flying high and going all over. Really really appreciate it. I feel it's just time for me to hang it up. Wish the guys all the luck going forward. We have some great guys - Shepherd throwing some punches, Jason Holder, Matthew Forde. Amazing international career - great to finish off at home. Just want to thank the fans for turning up and showing their support.
Russell entertains the fans to some autographs. He embraces members of the opposition as well as his teammates. It was dubbed Dre Day in Kingston and while the outcome of this match hasn't gone his way, he can be very pleased with his efforts over a 15-year international career!
10:18 PM local time (8:48 AM IST): Australia beat West Indies by 8 wickets!
Josh Inglis 78* (33) | Adam Zampa 3/29 (4) Brandon King 51 (36) | Jason Holder 1/28 (3)
A canter. A breeze. A stroll in the park. Any other similar description would be a fitting summary of this chase with Australia not breaking a sweat in getting the job done. 172 seemed under par even as the surface had a bit in it for the spinners. As it turned out, it proved to be way under par for the West Indies, who simply didn't show up well enough with the ball and especially on the field.
Having picked up a couple of wickets in the powerplay and not let Australia off the hook, they would have fancied their chances. Glenn Maxwell was surprisingly shored up to open the innings and despite a couple of stunning reverse-hits in the first over, perished soon to Jason Holder. Skipper Mitchell Marsh didn't look at ease against the spin of Akeal Hosein but funnily enough, fell to pace as Alzarri Joseph nabbed him for the fourth time in five T20I innings. Josh Inglis meant business from the get go even as Cameron Green looked scratchy to begin with - not as scratchy as the West Indian fielders though, for three catches went down in the seventh over bowled by Gudakesh Motie with the man himself putting one down.
Joseph then traveled for 19 runs with his extra pace proving fodder for Inglis and thereafter, it was one-way traffic. The wicket-keeper batter unleashed his full repertoire of strokes behind the wicket, reverse-lapping Andre Russell for fun and racing along to a half-century. The West Indies continued to slack on the field and it sure didn't help them one bit, with Inglis and Green plundering over 100 runs for the third wicket as the latter picked up pace himself.
In the end, it was a question of how quickly the game would end with Inglis in particular continuing to go big. Two deliveries into the 16th over is all it took for the Aussies to wrap things up, bringing the curtains down on the Jamaica leg of this series, as well as Dre Russ' international career. He was desperate to sign off on a high but alas, it wasn't to be. It takes nothing away from a career he can be immensely proud of though as he bows out a two-time T20 world champion!
They ease back for the second and that's just how easy it has been for the Aussies. A dominant performance by the visitors as the volume has been turned down at Sabina Park. Australia win with a whopping 28 deliveries to spare to go 2-0 up!
15.2 Roston Chase to Cameron Green, ANDRE RUSSELL'S INTERNATIONAL CAREER ENDS. AUSTRALIA EMERGE VICTORIOUS! Full and wide outside off-stump. Green gets the front-foot stride out and scythes it to the left of deep point for brace to end the match.
15.1 Roston Chase to Cameron Green, round the wicket, low full toss on the pads. Flicked away to the left of deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.
Roston Chase [1.0-0-10-0] is back into the attack. Around the wicket.
22 off the over! Goodness me this is some thrashing that Australia are handing out. Just four runs away from a 2-0 lead.
15
overs
169/2score
1wd
6
4
1
1wd
6
1wd
1
1
runs
Cameron Green*
52(30)
Josh Inglis
78(33)
Alzarri Joseph
1/50
14.6 Alzarri Joseph to Cameron Green, good length on off-stump. Tapped on the up to the left of extra cover for a single to keep strike.
Will Green finish it off with a big one?
14.5 Alzarri Joseph to Josh Inglis, back of a length and slow around off. Slapped on the up over cover for just the single!
14.5 Alzarri Joseph to Josh Inglis, THIS IS WIDE! Full and well outside the line of off-stump. Inglis fails to reach it and the umpire stretches his arms out.
Gigantic! This is a regal hitting display that we've witnessed and Inglis hasn't got tired of unleashing the willow.
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Cameron Green
*
Alzarri Joseph
Video
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