Evin Lewis’ blitz propelled West Indies to the fourth victory of the series as Australia fell 16 runs short of the target of 200 runs. Lewis aggregated 79 off just 34 deliveries before Andre Russell and Sheldon Cottrell derailed the chase with three wickets each. The series ended with a scoreline of 4-1 in favour of the home side.
Lewis vindicated Nicholas Pooran’s decision to bat first by getting his team off a fiery start. Jason Behrendorff conceded three sixes off his first two overs to Lewis.
Adam Zampa got the breakthrough in the fifth over, hitting Andre Fletcher through the gate. But Gayle smashed him two sixes and as many fours to bring 20 off that over.
Lewis, meanwhile, continued with the onslaught, and brought his half-century with two successive sixes off Andrew Tye. He hit two more in the next over, bowled by Mitchell Swepson.
Nicholas Pooran (31 off 18) then played an explosive cameo. Tye put on the brakes by removing Pooran and Andre Russell (1). West Indies could only manage 30 off his last five overs, posting 199 on the board.
Australia decided to change the opening combination, bringing in Josh Philippe to pair Aaron Finch. Matthew Wade was slotted back in the middle-order. The ploy did not work as Philippe got out for a duck in the first over.
Mitchell Marsh (30 off 15) again stepped up to the occasion, smashing six and two fours in the next over to put the pressure back on the bowlers. Marsh was at his fluent best but then gave away an easy return catch to Russell.
Moises Henriques too played his shots, and forged a crucial 49-run partnership with Finch for the third wicket. With the scoreboard reading 93/2 after 9 overs, the target looked well within sight for Australia.
But then Finch lost his wicket, and it was all one-way traffic from thereon. Wade (26 in 18 balls) did his best to revive the chase, but in vain. Australia were restricted to 183/9 in 20 overs.
Brief Scores: West Indies 199/8 in 20 overs (Evin Lewis 79; Andrew Tye 3-37) beat Australia 183/9 in 20 overs (Aaron Finch 34; Sheldon Cottrell 3-28) by 16 runs. Player of the Match: Evin Lewis.
West Indies won the series by 4-1. Player of the Series: Hayden Walsh.