Russell's First Farewell Match Ends in Defeat

-Timothy Thompson

After a horrid test series vs Australia, the Windies team now look to change their fortunes in the this five match T20 series. The shade of the team felt a bit different without the likes of Nicholas Pooran, leading up to the T20 world cup in Febuary 2026. The first 2 games would be memorable as it would mark the end of another West Indian Career, Andre Russell. Russell was keen to make a farewell mark as he would be playing his last two games in the lit Sabina Park in his home country, Jamaica.

Winning the toss, the visiting team sent the Windies into bat with a fresh and somewhat new faced Australian team. After the powerplay, the West Indies were 56-1 with Shai Hope scoring the bulk of the runs with 27 from 19 and Brandon King who departed for 18 after a promising start. In a hurry the West Indies raced to 103/1 after the first 10 overs with Roston Chase motoring through with 45 from 22 and Shai Hope 36 from 26.

The Australians were struggling to swing momentum in their favour, with all the bowlers failing to trouble the Windies batters. With a 200 strike rate Roston Chase rose to his 3rd half century in T20 International cricket. Looking to press on further, Chase fell after just lofting the ball to long-on for 60 from merely 32 deliveries. Shai Hope was next to go for 55 after looking to continue the momentum in a positive direction. The Aussies though caught their footing as another wicket fell in quick succession, with former captain Rovman Powell departing without troubling the scorers.

- Timothy Thompson

The man of the moment Andre Russell was the next into bat. The crowd erupted as he struck his first six in classical Andre Russell manner. The man of the moment indeed only lasted a moment as he departed disappointingly for 8, facing 9 deliveries. Rutherford quickly followed Russell as Dwarshuis claimed his 3 wicket. Immediately, Dwarshius then claimed his 4th getting Jason Holder for duck to claim his best match figures in T20 Internationals of 4/36.

After celebrating 1000 runs in T20 internationals, Hetmyer failed to anchor the Windies innings as he was next to go with his quick fire 38 from 19. Alzarri Joseph facing the remaining deliveries was unable to find the boundary, meaning the West Indies team would disappointingly fall to 189 for 8 after their 20 overs.

The Aussies looking to start on a high were stunted in the 2nd over thanks to some brilliant bowling by Jason Holder to claim Jake Fraser-McGurk. The game was pretty much a tug-of-war by the mid phase of the chase. Everytime the Australians managed to get a partnership going the West Indies Bowlers found an answer. The game was full of excitement as it swung in each team's grasps.Cameron Green's 51 from 26 then cemented a strong base for the Austrailians before his departure.

Motie on the other hand was the bowler pretty much keeping the West Indies in the game with 2 wickets and a very economical spell. After Motie's 4 overs, the Australians had already done major damage with the Windies running out of runs to defend. Debutant Mitchell Owen scored a well composed 50 in his first game and in foreign conditions, after which he departed. The Australians at this stage just needing 14 from 20 balls.

The game again made a turn in the favour of the West Indies after the reintroduction of Jason Holder. It looked like a miracle would occur at the Sabina Park ground but this then failed to come into effect as the ball once again found itself in the air, but substitute fielder Jewel Andrew failed to take what was regulation catch. This then subsequently ruined the West Indies hopes of a further comeback.

Australia though hurt and badly wounded crawled their way to a 3 wicket victory over the West Indies in an entertaining first encounter in the T20 series. The Andre Russell fairytale ending has not gone to plan so far. Fans now await as the West Indies and Australia will be back at it on Tuesday in what will be the final T20 international game for "the superman" Andre Russell.