West Indies captain Rovman Powell and his team celebrated their stunning series win over India and the skipper Powell was understandably overjoyed with the result in the Kuhl Stylish Fans T20I Series Powered by Black and White. Heading into the winner-take-all contest at Central Broward Stadium, Powell said it would be a grand finale, and so it proved. West Indies dominated the final showdown to win by eight wickets to take the series 3-2. The result means West Indies are unbeaten in T20Is Series this year, following their 2-1 win over South Africa in March. “Credit to the fans who rallied around us, offering encouragement and support through thick and thin. Their presence physically and virtually, through social media, underscores the profound impact of cricket as a unifying force,” Powell said. He was speaking after collecting the winner’s trophy from Dr Kishore Shallow, President of Cricket West Indies.

 The star performers on Sunday were seamer Romario Shepherd who turned in a career-best 4-31 with the ball, and opener Brandon King, who scored a career-best 85 not out. Shepherd was named Player of the Match and was also the leading wicket-taker in the series. Nicholas Pooran was the leading run-scorer with 176 runs to be named the Player of the Series.  “When individuals excel, the team reaps the rewards. Pooran is a standout performer. We relied on him to step up in three out of five games, and he delivered brilliantly,” Powell said as he also lauded his bowlers for their work in limiting India’s batting. The skipper was also proud of the way his players were able to combat a fightback from India. West Indies won the series opener by four runs at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy and also won the second match at Guyana National Stadium by two wickets.

 India bounced back and took the third match by seven wickets in at the Guyana National Stadium, before the series moved to Florida, where they were winners by nine wickets in Saturday’s fourth encounter. “Last night (Saturday), after our resounding defeat, we gathered and deliberated. Our response wasn't about just putting smiles on our faces; it was about uplifting the spirits of the people we represent,” Powell said.

 
Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)