West Indies vs England Prediction: England came back strongly in third game

West Indies and England are going head to head in the 4th Match of the T20 Series at Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago on 19 Dec 2023. England won the last game in dramatic fashion to keep themselves alive in the series. Who will win this game of cricket?

In the previous match, the West Indies entered with a victory in the ODI series against England and were just one win away from securing the T20I series. However, England managed to stay competitive, preventing the West Indies from gaining an unbeatable series lead. Players to watch out for in this match are Rovman Powell and Brandon King, who have been the leading run-scorers for the West Indies in this series. Powell has scored 120 runs, while King has scored 112 runs, both at a striking rate of over 160 per 100 deliveries. Nicholas Pooran has also made significant contributions with the bat. 

On the bowling front, Alzarri Joseph has been in impressive form, taking six wickets in three matches. This average of two wickets per match is exceptional in this format of international cricket. Joseph has been performing well in favourable conditions. 

The West Indies have Gudakesh Motie and Akeal Hosein as their spin options, who have collectively taken five wickets in this series. Hosein has been given the responsibility of opening the bowling and might do so again in this match. England's batsmen will face a challenge against these specialist slow bowlers. Players like Phil Salt will have to push the pace in order to counter the West Indies' spin attack.

Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Nicholas Pooran (WK), Shai Hope, Rovman Powell (C), Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Gudakesh Motie, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph

England's batters displayed an impressive performance in the third T20I, ensuring that they don't have to worry about a potential series whitewash. Over the past few months, England has had a disappointing run, including an early exit from the Cricket World Cup in India. However, their recent performances in the Caribbean show promising signs of improvement. Players like Salt, Jos Buttler, Harry Brookes, and Liam Livingstone have been instrumental in England's success with the bat. Salt scored a century, Buttler contributed with a half-century, and Brookes and Livingstone made important contributions in the middle order. These four players should be closely watched in the upcoming matches. It remains to be seen whether England will retain Gus Atkinson for the next game. Although he was expensive and failed to take a wicket in the third T20I, spinners Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid delivered economical performances, making it likely that Ali will open the bowling again. The real challenge for England lies in their bowling rather than their batting. Their bowlers will face the daunting task of countering a strong home batting lineup. The role of left-arm seamer Reece Topley with the new ball could prove to be crucial in determining the outcome of the match.

Jos Buttler (C/WK), Philip Salt, Will Jacks, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Gus Atkinson, Tymal Mills, Reece Topley

The match will take place at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba. It has only hosted two T20Is in the past, with the team batting first winning on both occasions. The team that wins the toss will most likely choose to bat first in order to set a target rather than chase one.

In the previous two T20I matches at this venue, the first innings totals were 149 and 190. A score of 170 or higher in the first innings can be considered competitive. It is recommended to have two specialist spinners in the team and one of them may even open the bowling.

There is a high chance of rain in the region leading up to the match and on the matchday itself. This may result in a shortened game, which could benefit the team chasing a revised target.

England appears to be in a strong position to win this match, as they gained momentum in the third T20I after previously seeming deflated. A defeat for the West Indies would make the series decider later in the week even more intriguing.

In this fourth T20I, bet on the hosts to win the game and the series.