Veteran spinner Adil Rashid became the first-ever England bowler to complete 100 wickets in the T20I format on Tuesday. Rashid accomplished this feat during England’s first T20I against West Indies at Bridgetown. During the match, the 35-year-old spinner took 2/25 in four overs, getting big wickets of Kyle Mayers and Shimron Hetmyer. In 100 T20Is, Rashid has taken 100 wickets at an average of 25.99 and a strike rate of 20.96, with the best figures of 4/2. The second is pacer Chris Jordan (96 wickets in 88 matches) and the third place is occupied by legendary fast bowler Stuart Broad (65 wickets in 56 matches). Also, Adil has also become England’s second most successful spin bowler ever. He overtook Moeen Ali to become England’s eight-highest wicket-taker and also the country’s second-most successful spinner.
Now, Rashid has taken 359 wickets in 254 matches at an average of 31.66 and a strike rate of 35.37, with the best bowling figures of 5/27. He has four five-wicket hauls in international cricket. Moeen has 358 wickets in 284 matches.
England’s leading spinner is Graeme Swann, who has taken 410 wickets at an average of 27.77 in 178 matches, with the best figures of 6/65. He is the fifth-highest wicket-taker for England.
England’s highest wicket-taker is pacer James Anderson, who has taken 977 wickets in 396 matches at an average of 27.27, with the best bowling figures of 27.27.
Coming to the match, England was put to field first by WI and made 171 in their 20 overs. Phil Salt (40 in 20 balls, with six fours and a six) and skipper Jos Buttler (39 in 31 balls, with five fours and a six) put on a quickfire 77-run opening stand in just 37 balls. But that was the only positive from England’s batting as they kept losing wickets later, though Liam Livingstone (27 in 19 balls, one four and two sixes) tried to counterattack.
Andre Russell (3/19) and Alzarri Joseph (3/54) were the top wicket-takers for WI. Romario Shepherd took two wickets while Akael Hosein and Jason Holder took a wicket each.
Chasing 172, Brandon King (22 in 12 balls, with two fours and two sixes), Kyle Mayers (35 in 21 balls, with four sixes) and Shai Hope (36 in 30 balls, with two fours and three sixes) contributed some useful scores at the top, but England spinners reduced WI to 123/6 in 14.4 overs.
Then, skipper Rovman Powell (31* in 15 balls, with three fours and two sixes) and Russell (29* in 14 balls, with two fours and two sixes) finished things off with some power-hitting and guided WI to a four-wicket win with 11 balls to go.
Rehan Ahmed (3/39) was the pick of the bowlers for England.
WI is leading the five-match T20I series 1-0 and Russell took home the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his all-round show on his return.
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