England Takes 1-0 Lead Over West Indies in Opening T20I

England began their T20I series against the West Indies with a convincing 21-run victory at the Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street, led by Jos Buttler's commanding 96 off 59 balls. Buttler, recently stepping down as T20 captain, showcased his world-class batting, while veteran spinner Liam Dawson, recalled after nearly three years, took a career-best 4-20 to restrict the West Indies to 167-9. Despite the West Indies' strong batting lineup, they were hampered by the absence of key spinner Akeal Hosein due to visa issues and struggled against England's spinners Dawson and Adil Rashid. England's new T20 skipper Harry Brook praised the experience and performance of his team, highlighting the impactful contributions from Buttler and the spinners. England had just swept the preceding ODI series 3-0, improving their ODI ranking and putting pressure on the West Indies, who now face a precarious position in the rankings ahead of the 2027 World Cup. The T20I series continues with matches scheduled in Bristol and Southampton.