A blazing maiden T20I ton by Phil Salt (109* off 56 balls) and some lusty blows at the fag end of the innings from Harry Brook helped England to clinch the 3rd T20I and remain alive in the series on Saturday, December 16.
Chasing 223 to win, England looked their formidable self after a long time and played like reigning T20 world champions from ball one.
Salt finally showcased the reason why England selectors and the team management back him so much as he raced to his ton like an F1 driver. He stitched a 115-run stand with his captain Jos Buttler (51 off 34 balls) who also looked and showed glimpses of his vintage self.
Player of the Match Salt also got the much-needed hitting support from Liam Livingstone between overs 13 to 18 as the latter smoked three sixes and scored 30 off just 18 deliveries at a strike rate of 166.66.
Livingstone's wicket on the fifth delivery of the 18th over brought Brook into the middle and he hit his stride immediately, much to the relief of English fans.
Brook launched Jason Holder down the ground for a maximum to announce his arrival at the crease and indicated that Salt was not waging a lone battle.
The penultimate over of the game saw Alzarri Joseph concede just 10 and the Three Lions had a daunting ask to meet in the final over with 21 to win the run-fest.
Harry Brook takes Andre Russell down to steer England home
Rovman Powell's decision to place his bets on an old warhorse like Russell didn't seem a bad ploy initially but Brook proved it otherwise.
Russell tried to nail a yorker in the block hole first up but couldn't really get the execution right and Brook flicked it past the short fine leg fielder for a boundary.
The veteran West Indian allrounder changed his line and shifted to the off stump channel with the idea to nail a yorker again but ended up bowling a half volley and the emerging English star smashed it over extra cover for an 86-metre maximum.
With 11 needed off four balls, the pressure was clearly on the West Indian and his attempt at bowling yet another yorker went horribly wrong.
The 35-year-old bowled a juicy full toss channelled down the leg side which was helped on its way by Brook and it sailed into the crowd over the fine leg fence.
David Gower who was in comms calling the final over theatrics summed up Russell's state of mind perfectly.
"Andre Russell might have all the experience in the world of T20 cricket. He might have played for virtually every team in the world in T20 cricket but at the moment he hasn't got a clue what to do," Gower said.
Russell breathed heavily at the top of his mark and pulled his length back on the fourth delivery which was pulled towards cow corner and the two English batters scurried for a double.
The execution came down to three off two and Russell erred again. With a short third in place, he tried to double-bluff Brook and bowled a wide yorker. Brook (31* off 7 deliveries) threw the kitchen sink at it and the ball flew past the outside half of the bat and cleared the fence over third for a match-winning six.
The shot brought ecstasy to the English camp while the Men in Maroon stared into oblivion in despair.
