Yeh match 8 June 2025 ko khela gaya, aur dono teams mein ek-ek change dekha gaya. West Indies ke liye Akeal Hosein ki wapsi hui, jo visa issues ke wajah se pehla match nahi khel paaye the, jabki England ne Luke Wood ko Matthew Potts ki jagah team mein shamil kiya. England ke captain Harry Brook ne toss ke baad kaha, “Hum chase karna pasand karte hain.” Lekin kya yeh faisla unke liye asaan hoga, jab West Indies jaisi explosive team samne ho?
Pehle T20I mein, Chester-le-Street mein, England ne 21 runs se jeet haasil ki thi. Jos Buttler ke shandaar 96 runs aur Liam Dawson ke 4 wickets ne West Indies ko 167/9 par rok diya tha. Lekin Bristol ka ground chhota hai, boundaries chhoti hain, aur yeh West Indies ke power-hitters jaise Rovman Powell aur Evin Lewis ke liye ek khatarnak mauka ho sakta hai. West Indies ka top-order pehle match mein struggle kiya, jahan Shai Hope aur Johnson Charles bade runs nahi bana sake. Akeal Hosein ka aana unke bowling attack ko mazbooti deta hai, jo spin ke saath England ke batsmen ko pareshan kar sakta hai. Yaad hai 2022 ka woh T20I Barbados mein, jab Hosein ne aakhri over mein teen chhakke maar kar West Indies ko ek impossible chase mein jeet dilayi thi? Woh performance aaj bhi fans ke dilon mein taaza hai.
Ab thodi ummeed ki baat. England ka confidence unki pehli jeet se badha hua hai. Harry Brook ki captaincy mein team aggressive aur smart cricket khel rahi hai. Jos Buttler, jo T20 cricket mein ek superstar hain, Bristol ke chhote ground mein aur bhi khatarnak ho sakte hain. Unka 2016 T20 World Cup ka final mein Ben Stokes ke khilaaf chhakka ab bhi iconic hai, aur aaj woh West Indies ke bowlers ke liye bura sapna ban sakte hain. Luke Wood ka left-arm swing ek naya dimension deta hai, aur Adil Rashid ka spin West Indies ke batsmen ke liye hamesha chunauti raha hai. England ka middle-order, jisme Tom Banton aur Jacob Bethell jaise young talent hain, bhi form mein hai. Bristol ka pitch batting-friendly raha hai, aur yeh England ke chase ke plan ke liye perfect ho sakta hai. West Indies ke liye, Shai Hope ne kaha, “Humein apne brand ka cricket consistently khelna hoga.” Agar unka top-order click karta hai, toh yeh match ek high-scoring thriller ban sakta hai, jaise 2019 ka India vs West Indies T20I, jahan 400 se zyada runs bane the.
Lekin yahan thodi si chinta bhi hai. England ka yeh “chase karne ka fancy” plan hamesha kaam nahi karta. 2023 T20 World Cup mein South Africa ke khilaaf chase karte waqt unki batting collapse ho gayi thi, aur woh match haar gaye. West Indies ke paas Alzarri Joseph aur Jason Holder jaise bowlers hain, jo death overs mein game badal sakte hain. Hosein ka spin bhi chhote ground par effective ho sakta hai, jahan boundaries rokna mushkil hota hai. England ke bowlers, jaise Brydon Carse, pehle match mein thodi mehngi rahe, aur agar West Indies ke batsmen aaj shuru se attack karte hain, toh England ke liye 200 ke aas-paas ka target defend karna mushkil ho sakta hai. Kya Brook ka yeh bold decision unhe series jeet dilayega, ya West Indies apni haar ka badla lega? Yeh match ek nazdeek ka muqabla hone wala hai, jisme dono teams ke liye galti ki koi jagah nahi.
References:
- ESPNcricinfo, ENG vs WI 2nd T20I Match Report, 8 June 2025
- BBC Sport, England vs West Indies 2nd T20I Updates, 8 June 2025
- NDTV Sports, West Indies vs England 2nd T20I 2022, 25 Jan 2022
- X Post by @Cricketracker, 8 June 2025
