West Indies vs Australia 5th T20I Match Report | Evin Lewis Shines as West Indies defeats Australia by 16 runs in the fifth T20I to clinch series

West Indies team won the fifth T20 against Australia by 16 runs. With this, hosts West Indies captured the series 4-1. West Indies had scored 199 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in the last match on the basis of the brilliant innings of opener Evin Lewis (79). In reply, Australia could only manage 183 runs in the allotted 20 overs for the loss of 8 wickets. Captain Aaron Finch (34) scored the most runs for the visiting team. Along with this, West Indies have created history. The Caribbean team has won a series against Australia in any format for the first time in 26 years. Prior to this, he had defeated Kangaroos in the series in 1995.

Australia’s disappointing start

Chasing a big target, Australia made a disappointing start. Opener Josh Philippe lost his wicket in the first over without opening the account. He was sent to the pavilion by Sheldon Cottrell. After this Aaron Finch took care of Australia by making two important partnerships. He added 37 runs for the second wicket with Mitchell Marsh and then shared a 49-run partnership with Moises Henriques for the third wicket. Marsh was caught and bowled by Andre Russell in the fifth over. At the same time, Finch became the victim of Hayden Walsh in the second ball of the 10th over as the fourth batsman.

Mitchell Marsh played an innings of 30 runs

Marsh scored 30 runs in 15 balls with the help of 5 fours and 1 six. Finch scored 34 runs in 23 balls with 6 fours. After the departure of Finch, Henriques also lost the wicket after being run out on the fourth ball of the 10th over. Alex Carey contributed 9 runs. At one point Australia were battling for 5 wickets on a total of 119, so Matthew Wade (26) and Andrew Tye (15) tried to fight back. Jason Behrendorff scored 5 and Adam Zampa was run out for zero. Mitchell Swepson 14 and Josh Hejluvad remained unbeaten on 13. For West Indies, Cottrell and Russell took three wickets each and Walson took one wicket.

West Indies made a slow start

Earlier, West Indies won the toss and elected to bat and made a slow start. Andre Fletcher and Evin Lewis put on 40 runs for the first wicket. Fletcher was dismissed in the fifth over after scoring 12 runs in 16 balls. However, Lewis persevered. He gave a befitting reply to the Kangaroo bowlers and made three important partnerships. Lewis added 43 runs with Chris Gayle (21), 41 with Lendon Simmons (21) and 44 with captain Nicholas Pooran (31). His wicket fell in the 11th over as the fourth batsman for a total of 124.

Lewis played a brilliant innings of 79 runs in 34 balls with 4 fours and 9 sixes before returning to the pavilion. He was caught by Marsh in the hands of substitute player NT Ellis. This is the ninth half-century of his T20 International career. After Lewis, Andre Russell (1), Fabian Allen (1), Darren Bravo (5) could not do much. Walsh made 12 not out off 8 balls. Cottrell scored 1 run. For Australia, Andrew Tye took three, Mitchell Marsh and Adam Zampa took two wickets each. Mitchell Swepson put a wicket in his bag.