England defeated West Indies by 1 run in the second T20I to level the series 1-1. This was a match that was not meant for weak hearts. The momentum swung to and fro throughout the game and eventually, England prevailed in the last ball thriller. Batting first, England got off to a steady start with Jason Roy and Tom Banton adding 36 runs for the first wicket. However, Banton and following batter James Vince was dismissed cheaply. The visitors were striking at 6 runs per over at the halfway mark before Roy and Moeen went berserk to take England to 100 in the 13th over. What followed was a mini-collapse as England lost three wickets for 15 runs.
Just as when England looked like settling for a below-par score, a late blitz by Chris Jordan pushed them to 171. West Indies' start was not that great either. They lost their first two wickets with just 6 on the board. At one point, they were tottering at 98-8 in the 16th over. The game seemed to be done and dusted by then but it's said that cricket is a game of uncertainty and fortunes can turn anytime.
The pair of Akeal Hosein and Fabian Allen then started to chip away with runs. However, never at a point, it looked like the match will get to the final over. With 30 needed off the final over, England were in a comfortable position.
Saqib Mahmood came to bowl the final over. The first delivery was wide, which was followed by a dot ball. Hosein then hit the next two deliveries for boundaries to bring the equation down to 20 from three balls. The next delivery was again wide. Hosein then hit the final three balls for six as England survived a scare to win the game by a solitary run.
"If you lose early wickets, you tend to struggle. But the way the guys fought at the end, tremendous. Akeal batted really well at the end, spare a word for Shepherd. He's really taken some responsibility. It has (being unable to negate spinners) but we will find a way. We will have games like this but the guys will get through," West Indies captain Kieron Pollard said after the game.