| England 132 (19.3 overs): Salt 38 (22); Motie 3-24 |
| West Indies 133-6 (19.2 overs): Hope 43* (43); Topley 2-17, Rashid 2-21 |
| West Indies won by four wickets and won series 3-2 |
| Scorecard |
England lost the fifth and deciding T20 against West Indies by four wickets in Trinidad to suffer a 3-2 series defeat.
After being put in to bat, England struggled for fluency at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy and were bowled out for 132 off 19.3 overs.
Sam Curran gave England a chance with a brilliant penultimate over, taking a wicket and conceding two runs, to leave the hosts needing nine from the last.
But Shai Hope’s mighty six sealed victory with four balls to spare.
England fought well with the ball, Reece Topley impressing with 2-17 and Adil Rashid taking 2-21, but Hope’s crucial run-a-ball 43 not out proved the difference.
Playing on the same pitch on which they scored a record 267 in the fourth T20, the tourists’ timing was thrown off, with surface offering more for the bowlers and West Indies’ attack showing much more consistency.
The in-form Phil Salt hit 38 but only Liam Livingstone and Moeen Ali, with 28 and 23 respectively, also made telling contributions as England lost their last five wickets for just 11 runs.
The defeat completes a disappointing end to the year for England’s white-ball sides after a 2-1 series defeat in the one-day internationals that preceded the T20 leg of the tour, and the group-stage exit of the 50-over World Cup in November.
More to follow.
