West Indies vs. England 1st T20I Kensington Oval, Barbados

After under par performance at the T20 WorldCup held in UAE, windies are expected to perform upto the expectations of their fans in the upcoming T20 series against England. West Indies would be hosting England for 5 T20I’s, played between January and February. West Indies represent a significant brand of Cricket, especially when it comes to T20 cricket. With most of their players playing in the county and T20 leagues all around the globe, they possess great diversity and experience for T20 Cricket. On the other hand, England, who has an incredible run in the T20 Worldcup apart from the unexpected semi-final defeat, is looking well-balanced and gelled to take over the mighty West Indians.

West Indies - The Unpredictables

When it comes to T20 cricket, Kieron Pollard and his men are destructive on the field. In their last tour of Pakistan, under Nicholas Porran, West Indies managed to highlight amazing talent in the batting and bowling department. For the 1st encounter against England, West Indies are likely to play with destructive openers in the form of Brandon King and D.Bravo. However, few changes in the batting order can be expected from the West Indies dugout, which would be eying to set a 220+ target to give their bowlers a fair chance to defend.

Young Bowling Attack of West Indies

The young, energetic, and determined bowling attack of West Indies would comprise Romario Shepherd, Dominic Drakes, Sheldon Cottrell, Hayden Walsh, and most importantly, Jason Holder. While playing in home conditions, the young and well grouped West Indies team would feel more confident to defeat England, preparing for the upcoming T20 Worldcup in Australia.

Key Players for West Indies

• Nicholas Porran;
• Brandon King;
• Kieron Pollard;
• Romario Shepherd;
• Hayden Walsh.

England - Consistent as Always

Be it any format of Cricket and any opponent, England Cricket has always been up for the challenge. Apart from their recent defeat against Australia in the Ashes, they are a completely different side in the T20I’s. The wide pool of diversified players makes the selection process tricky before every tour match. Under the captaincy of Eion Morgan, England cricket has undoubtedly raised their bar high in white-ball format. Englishmen take pride in representing their country on foreign soil and playing blistering knocks to shatter the opposition.

Solid Batting and Bowling Lineup for England

With the availability of Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy, Tom Banton, Liam Livingstone, Morgan, and Moeen Ali, England has a well-balanced and equipped batting lineup. In the bowling department, Saqib Mehmood, Tymall Mills, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, and Reece Topley are there to put brakes on the scoring machine of West Indies.

Key Players for England

• Jason Roy;
• Liam Livingstone;
• Moeen Ali;
• Adil Rashid;
• Saqib Mehmood.

Final Predictions

Analyzing both sides on paper, England has a relatively more settled and experienced dugout for the T20Is. Many specialists making their way into the team adds to the overall strength of the England Cricket team. England is likely to dominate the West Indies quite comprehensively and start the series with a win.