Sam Curran unable to save England as West Indies secure 30-run win
Curran was left stranded on an unbeaten 43 as England were all out for 166.
Sam Curran was unable to dig England out of a hole at the T20 World Cup again as their struggles against spin in Asia resurfaced in a 30-run loss to the West Indies in Mumbai.
Curran’s nerveless death bowling meant England avoided a shock defeat against Nepal on Sunday and he was at the coalface with the bat after his side slipped from 74 for one to 141 for seven in pursuit of 197.
England had succumbed to slow left-armers Gudakesh Motie and Akeal Hosein and off-spinner Roston Chase before Curran was left stranded on an unbeaten 43 as England were all out for 166 in 18.5 overs
Defeat was tough on Adil Rashid, whose two for 16 following a rare off day against Nepal stopped the Windies from amassing more than 196 for six in an innings containing 13 sixes.
Seven of them came from Sherfane Rutherford, who made a T20 international best 76 off 42 balls after being given two reprieves to help the Windies recover from 77 for four, adding 113 in the last nine overs.
England, though, took their foot off the gas by giving Will Jacks a second over following an expensive first, and Rutherford hardly looked back, but the total was not out of reach until the Windies’ slow bowling trio got to work after the powerplay.
Spin in this part of the world has traditionally been an Achilles heel for England, who had won 11 of their last 12 T20s and seven in eight against the Windies, and it was exposed again here.
Harry Brook decided to field first, and it was a typically boom-or-bust Windies powerplay with runs aplenty although the wayward Jofra Archer, who bowled a nine-ball first over, plus Curran and the recalled Jamie Overton benefited from the attacking approach to get in the wickets column.
Rashid then got to work. Any notion his confidence was low following his Nepal battering was banished when a flighted googly dipped and turned sharply to pin Chase lbw for a watchful 34, but with England in the driving seat, they peculiarly turned back to Jacks.
Having leaked 19 in his first over, he was then deposited for six twice by Rutherford, who took just 10 from his first 13 balls before cutting loose. Rutherford offered a hint of a chance on 23 off Archer but Rashid was off-balance on the boundary and a tumbling effort failed to stop a six.
Every over from the 12th onwards went for double figures apart from Rashid’s final two, in which Rovman Powell holed out and Rutherford was given a reprieve on 56 when England’s leg-spinner spilled a steepler off his own bowling.
Rutherford shared fifty stands with Powell and Jason Holder, who thrashed Curran for three sixes to take him out of the attack. The last over went to the quietly impressive Overton, whose slower ball did for Holder although Rutherford finished off the innings with his seventh six, to go with two fours.
Phil Salt began at a frantic pace with five boundaries from a Holder over but there was no keeping Rutherford out the game with a catch after England’s opener was cramped for room on the charge to Romario Shepherd.
Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell were initially fluent but perished to spin. Buttler was caught on the rope the ball after hitting Chase for six while Bethell was bowled by one that skidded on from Motie, with Tom Banton offering a limp shot to short extra-cover.
When Brook got a leading edge to give Motie a return catch and Jacks was trapped in front by Chase, coming round the wicket, the writing was on the wall and Hosein got in on the act by having Overton caught on the boundary.
Curran was tasked with another unlikely rescue act and despite sixes off Motie and Holder, Liam Dawson and Archer were run out before Rashid was caught on the boundary.
