England cruised to a 3-0 series win in the ODI component of the tour. With that done and dusted, the focus now turns to T20I, where another three games are set to be played.
Sherfane Rutherford of the West Indies bats during the 3rd T20I between Australia and the West Indies at Optus Stadium (Pic – EPA / Richard Wainwright)
England v West Indies
1st T20I | Friday 6 June
Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street | 19h30
The Windies have freshened up their squad for the T20Is with veterans Jason Holder and Andre Russell added to the squad.
They will, however, be without T20 specialist Nicholas Pooran, who has asked to be rested following his busy stint with Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL.
For their part, England will be without Phil Salt. The powerful opener, who was part of the IPL-winning Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad, has taken paternity leave following the birth of his child.
Keacy Carty, who was in great form during the ODI leg of the tour, is not in the squad for the T20I series.
He will be eligible for selection for the games against Ireland; however, when he comes back into the side, England will have seen the last of him for the summer.
Neither side comes into the series with much form in the format. They each boast a single win from their last five games.
The most recent game between the sides was a no result encounter. Before that, the West Indies ran out five-wicket winners in November 2024. The three games before that all went the way of England, however.
Venue: Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street
There have only ever been four T20Is played at this venue – all of them featured England.
England have won two of the four games they have played at Chester-le-Street.
The Windies have played just one game at the venue (back in 2017), and they ran out comfortable winners by 21 runs.
The venue has traditionally been a low-scoring one, and no side has ever gone past the 200-run mark in a T20I. The highest score to date was England’s 195 for five against Australia in 2013.
From the four games that have been played here, the side batting first has won twice, and the side chasing has won twice.
Weather
It’s going to be chilly and damp in Durham on Friday. The maximum temperature is just 15 degrees, and the wind will be cold and blustery. There is also rain predicted – while it is more a case of showers throughout the day, it could well be disruptive.
Form (most recent game first)
England: L, L, W, L, L
West Indies: L, L, L, NR, W
Key player:
England, Jos Buttler: Former skipper Buttler is back, and he will be hoping to bring his outstanding IPL form with him. Although the Gujarat Titans faltered at the end of their campaign, Buttler was in good form, ending the franchise competition with an average of 59.77 from 13 innings. He is hitting the ball cleanly, brimming with confidence.
West Indies, Sherfane Rutherford: Playing alongside Buttler for the Gujarat Titans, Rutherford was another player who had a good IPL campaign. Batting lower down the order than Buttler, he had fewer opportunities to bag the big runs, but he still finished the IPL season with an average of 32.33. He hit a brisk 70 in the final ODI against England as well. Watch out for him in Durham.
Verdict: West Indies
This is a tough one to call, but the West Indies will be hurting from the ODI whitewash, and they will feel like they have plenty to prove.
This is the format that suits the men from the Caribbean best, and with plenty of powerful batters, this could just be their day, especially if the game is reduced due to rain.
