Ben duckett's blistering 84 destroys west indies as england complete T-20 series whitewash

 

@Ben Duckett attempting a sweep during the innings vs WI

On 10 June 2025, England throunced the West Indies by 37 runs in the third and final T20I at the Rose Bowl in Southampton to sweep the series 3-0. A display of white-ball revival in England under new T20I captain Harry Brook, this match showcased the strength of their batting, their disciplined bowling attack and their willingness to attack. The West Indies, after a gallant batting performance, were out-smarted by a well-organized England team which took advantage of the initial bowling weakness of their opponents and kept them under continuous pressure. Following is a report of the match in some detail, based on the available sources and taking into consideration the most important performances, tactical details and the situation in the series in general.

Match Overview :

England had set a daunting total of 248/3 in their 20 overs with Ben Duckett (84 off  46) and Jamie Smith (60 off 26) blowing away the opposition with their fireworks. West Indies, in their turn, could muster only 211/8, Rovman Powell (79 not out) offering some fight but failing to get the team across the finish line.Three wickets apiece by Luke Wood and disciplined bowling by the England attack saw them home, to complete a one-sided series.

England’s Batting: explosive Batting Display 

The England innings was a master class of the contemporary T20 batting, an amalgamation of aggression and calculated batting. West Indies won the toss and chose to bowl, a choice that spectacularly backfired since their bowlers could not find any consistency. The pitch at Southampton was flat and did not provide much help to bowlers and the England openers took advantage of the situation mercilessly.

Player of the Match Ben Duckett (84) started the rout. His capacity to attack non-traditional regions supported his partner Jamie Smith, who hit at a brisk pace to make 60. They put a strong foundation with England charging to 83/0 at the end of the powerplay, which was totally opposite to the bowling misery of the West Indies in the previous matches of the series.

The method of Duckett was straightforward but efficient: he just played to his strengths, choosing gaps and punishing loose deliveries. After the game, he commented that it was a dream batting pitch, and there was not much movement on it, which enabled him to play freely. Smith on the other hand displayed his all-rounder capabilities as he sent the ball soaring over the boundary and also hitting the fours with ease. With their different styles, precision by Duckett and power by Smith, the West Indies were immediately under pressure. Harry Brook and Jos Buttler contributed in the middle overs, with the latter having a more sensible role than his 96 in the first T20I. The batting depth of England also made sure that there was no slip in momentum as the lower order chipped in with quick runs to take the score to 248/3. The bowlers of the West Indies, especially Alzarri Joseph and Jason Holder were not able to find their lengths and conceded runs at crucial moments. Gudakesh Motie, who was the bowler of the choice with 1-20, offered some control but that was too little too late.

WI’s Chase had a good foundation, but it didn’t last:

The target of 249 was never going to be an easy one and the weakness of the West Indies batting line up was soon revealed. Their top order flopped, and Shai Hope (45) provided some hope before he was dismissed by Luke Wood. The dismissal of wickets early, Johnson Charles and Evin Lewis among them, placed them on the back foot and the England bowlers made the most of a surface that had some aid to pace and spin.

The best performance of the West Indies was an unbeaten 79 by Rovman Powell, a stubborn knock that helped them to stay in the game. He did provide the crowd with some entertainment with his ability to clear the ropes and find gaps late in the innings but the run rate got away towards the end. Powell heroic effort was in vain as the middle order collapsed due to the pressure exerted by England bowlers.

The wrecker-in-chief was Luke Wood who ended with 3-31.Key wickets fell due to his raw pace, and smart employment of short balls, with a well-taken catch by Will Jacks to remove Gudakesh Motie. The economical overs of Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson, who had been named Player-of-the-Match in the previous T20I, made the run rate impossible to achieve. At the halfway stage, the West Indies were 91/3, requiring 98 more but the dismissals of Sherfane Rutherford and Roston Chase in the space of three overs halted their chase.

Key Moments :

The superiority of England had a basis on flexibility and training. The captaincy of Harry Brook, just in his third game as T20I captain, was mature. His call to bat first on a decent track proved right and his bowlers hit the right spots with their plans. The decision to play just two seamers in the first T20I had reaped rewards and so was the case here as spin was used heavily on a surface that slowed down as the match progressed.

The West Indies, in their turn, were crippled by bad beginning with bat and ball. Their choice to pursue after winning the toss was somewhat doubtful, as they had problems with the ball during the series. The errant lengths by Alzarri Joseph and the costly overs by Godakesh Motie, which were characterized by Buttler and Smith going berserk during the powerplay, signified the kind of day it was going to be for England. Another trend in the series, failure to make the most of early breakthroughs, cost the West Indies dearly.

The turning point of the game was the 18th over of the West Indies chase when Wood gets Motie caught by Jacks with a sharp short ball, practically eliminating any chance of a come back. A slippery long-on catch by Jacks was one of the highlights as England showed their keenness in the field. A similar finish to the game like the West Indies (75 runs in the last four overs of the second T20I) was not to be seen here, with the England bowlers keeping their composure

Background of series and players performance :

This win concluded a superb white-ball summertime of England, who white-washed the West Indies in ODIs and T20Is. This was the first series sweep in T20Is in England since they did it in 2021 against Sri Lanka and was an indication of a resurgence after their recent limited-overs woes. The strong performance of Harry Brook as a leader alongside the notable roles of Buttler, Duckett, and Wood supported the idea of the English team depth and diversity.

Player of the Series Jos Buttler was outstanding in the three matches. His 96 in the first T20I laid the foundation, and his skills as a senior player backed up the captaincy of Brook. The comeback of Liam Dawson in the side after 2 years was an eye opener as he returned with figures of 4-20 in the opening match and performed right through. The availability of Jamie Smith as a dynamic opener and versatility of Ben Duckett added more strength to England batter line-up.

In the case of West Indies, the series revealed the areas that needed improvement. They were undisciplined in bowling and in batting they depended on single efforts by Powell and Hope. The promise shown by Keacy Carty in his ODI ton earlier in the tour was unable to be replicated by the T20I unit, who could not keep up with the intensity of England. England was without several important members, such as Phil Salt (on paternity leave), but it did not seem to hurt the team, whereas the West Indies failed to take advantage of their strong suits

Broader Implications :

The victory in the series places England in a good position going into their future engagements such as the World Test Championship final and a five-Test series against India. The swagger that comes with this white-ball supremacy will prove vital as they make the change of format. The tour was a wake-up call to the West Indies team as it showed them that they need to improve their bowling plans and batting lineup in order to challenge the best teams.

The game also emphasised how T20 cricket is also taking a new shape as England’s fast batting and multi-dimensional bowling offered a standard. The high-scoring affair of the Utilita Bowl was a test to the run-heavy modern T20, as 459 runs were scored in 40 overs. However, the skill that England possessed in bowling discipline revealed that it is still a match-changer despite the fact that it is hard to come by in the current era of T20.

Conclusion :

The conclusion of a one-sided series of T20Is, was England winning by 37 runs on June 10, 2025. An outstanding 84 by Ben Duckett, inspired bowling by Mark Wood and wise captaincy by Harry Brook sealed an overwhelming victory. The West Indies were simply outplayed in every aspect despite a gallant effort by Rovman Powell. This outcome not only gave England a confidence but also showed their prospect of becoming a white-ball powerhouse with Brook as their captain. This performance will become a blueprint of success as they look forward to even more challenging tasks

Brief Scores : 

Eng Innings : 248/8 (20 Overs) Ben Duckett 84 off 46 Balls (10 Fours 2 Sixes), Jamie Smith 60 off 26 Balls (4 Fours And 5 Sixes).

WI Bowling : Akeal Hosein 1/42 (4 Overs), Sherfane Rutherford 1/20 (2 Overs).

WI Innings : 211/8 (20 Overs) Rovman Powell 79* off 45 Balls (9 Fours And 4 Sixes), Shai Hope 45 off 27 Balls (3 Fours And 3 Sixes).

Eng Bowling : Luke Wood 3/31 (4 Overs), Adil Rashid 2/30 (4 Overs).

Player of the Match : Ben Duckett

Player of the Series : Jos Buttler

Result : England Won by 37 Runs.