BASSETERRE – West Indies powerhouse Andre Russell may have bid adieu to international cricket, but a dream send-off wasn’t on the cards. Instead, it was Australia’s night, as Josh Inglis and Cameron Green hammered unbeaten half-centuries to steer their side to a commanding eight-wicket win in the second T20I on Tuesday.
Batting first, the hosts posted 172 for 8 — a total that, on paper, looked defendable. Brandon King gave the innings a solid foundation with a fluent 51, while Russell, playing his final international innings, thrilled the home crowd with a vintage 15-ball 36, peppered with fireworks.
But Australia, cool as ever, made light work of the target.
After an early experiment saw Glenn Maxwell (12) and skipper Mitchell Marsh (21) open the chase — both falling cheaply — it was Inglis and Green who took the game by the scruff of the neck. Their unbroken 131-run stand dismantled the Windies attack, chasing down the total in just 15.2 overs.
Inglis, named Player of the Match, smashed 78 off just 33 deliveries, clearing the ropes five times. Green, building on his form from the previous match, remained steady yet brutal in his 56-run knock, which included four massive sixes.
“We figured spin would be tricky on this pitch, so we played it safe there and took our chances against the quicks,” Inglis said after the match. “I got lucky early on with a drop, but after that, Greeny and I found our rhythm.”
West Indies, on the other hand, were their own worst enemy in the field — dropping six catches and gifting Australia a free run at the target.
Despite the loss, all eyes were on Russell. The 37-year-old two-time T20 World Cup winner soaked in the applause one final time.
“I’m grateful I got to finish my career in front of my home fans, friends, and family,” he said post-match. “The result didn’t go our way, but I’m thankful. I’ve had a good run, and I wish the boys the very best going forward.”
Australia, having already bagged the Test series 3-0, now lead the T20I series 2-0. They’ll be eyeing a clean sweep with a third consecutive win when the teams clash again in Basseterre on Saturday.
