England v West Indies head-to-head – top T20I batting and bowling performances
England and the West Indies will meet for a T20I series this month. It’s usually a spectacle of entertaining cricket when these two teams meet in the shortest format of the international game.
England have won the T20 World Cup twice. The West Indies have the same number of T20 World Cup titles. They’ll be sizing each other up ahead of the next tournament in 2026.
For now, this bilateral series is an opportune time to reflect on how they have fared against each other in this format – individually and collectively.
England’s top T20I wicket-taker v West Indies
Adil Rashid has taken the most wickets for England against the West Indies in T20I competition. He has 32 wickets in 19 matches against the old enemy. Rashid has done this at an economy rate of just under six and average a bit over 12.
Impressive numbers, indeed. The leg-spinner has consistently proven successful due to his ability to find extra bounce and turn in even the most placid conditions. He’ll have the opportunity to build on this solid record against the Windies this month.
England’s top T20I run-scorer v West Indies
England have confirmed Phil Salt, not Jos Buttler, will keep wicket in the upcoming series. But it’s Salt’s renown with the bat, rather than his role behind the stumps, that is the most interesting. He has already struck 478 runs in nine T20I innings against the West Indies. These runs have come at an average of 68 and strike rate of 188.
Salt knows how to go big during the opening powerplay and these opening stages of the innings have been key to his top performances against the West Indies. He has two tons in T20I cricket – both came against the West Indies, within four days of each other, in 2023. Salt will be keen to succeed in the Caribbean again.
Read more: How Ajaz Patel ranks among Ian Botham and Shane Warne
West Indies’ top T20I wicket-taker v England
Akeal Hosein is among the best left-arm spinners around the world, especially in T20I cricket. His record against England is particularly solid – and includes 16 wickets in 12 T20Is. But he isn’t his country’s leading wicket-taker in this format against the English.
That status belongs to Jason Holder. The lanky pace ace has collected 23 wickets in 13 matches against England. Few will forget the stunning five-wicket haul he landed against England in Bridgetown in 2022. This big performance ensured the Windies a three-two win in the five-match series. He snared the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards, too.
West Indies’ top T20I run-scorer v England
Nicholas Pooran is just three runs away from overtaking Chris Gayle as the West Indies‘ top scorer against England in T20I cricket. Pooran has 420 runs in 15 innings to Gayle’s 422 in 14.
When or if Pooran goes past Gayle, this small record might slip under the public’s radar, but it’s pretty monumental given the T20 cricketing status of the man he’ll overtake.
Read next: Who are the leading run-scorers among active Test cricketers?
