West Indies will be up against Australia, less than 48 hours later, in the second and final T20I of the Jamaica leg of the five-match series, which will move to Basseterre in St Kitts and Nevis from the third game onwards. Australia combined some dogged bowling at the death by Ben Dwarshuis and Sean Abbott with fifties by Cameron Green and debutant Mitch Owen to make multiple comebacks in the game and eventually win it. With the line-up Australia played, missing a few key regulars, the visitors will be glad with the fight they put up.
On the other hand, the West Indies will be disappointed with the way their batting innings ended, especially since they were looking like scoring 200-plus at one point, but finished at 189 and Australia were always in the game with the chase being sub-190. Australia too had their top-order dislodged early but the two 20-something all-rounders stood up for Australia when they needed them the most.
The second T20I obviously will be a huge occasion at the Sabina Park, with it being the last international match for Andre Russell, the stalwart of white-ball cricket renaissance for the Men in Maroon in T20 cricket in the 2010s. Russell's absence will be a big blow to the West Indies' T20 World Cup plans, especially with no Nicholas Pooran.
My Dream11 team for WI vs AUS 2nd T20I
Mitch Owen, Roston Chase, Ben Dwarshuis, Shimron Hetmyer, Sherfane Rutherford, Glenn Maxwell, Jason Holder (vc), Cameron Green, Akeal Hosein, Adam Zampa, Josh Inglis (c)
Probable Playing XIs
West Indies: Brandon King, Shai Hope(w/c), Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Holder, Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, Akeal Hosein
Australia: Mitchell Marsh(c), Jake Fraser-McGurk, Josh Inglis(w), Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa