BASSETERRE, SAINT KITTS – Australia has made history, completing a dominant 5-0 Australia sweep T20 series West Indies with a hard-fought three-wicket victory in the final match on Monday. Bowler Ben Dwarshuis was the star of the show, taking key wickets to set up the win and cap off a perfect, undefeated tour of the Caribbean for the Australian side.
The victory at Warner Park marks the first time an Australian men’s team has ever won a five-match T20 international series 5-0. The team was in high spirits after the win, celebrating a dominant performance that sends a strong message to the rest of the cricket world.
How the Final Match Unfolded
After winning the toss for the fifth consecutive time, Australia’s captain Mitchell Marsh chose to bowl first. The West Indies put up a competitive score but were ultimately bowled out for 170 in 19.4 overs.
West Indies Innings
- Shimron Hetmyer was the top scorer for the home side, hitting an aggressive 52 runs off 31 balls.
- Ben Dwarshuis was the standout bowler for Australia, taking 3 wickets for 41 runs, including the crucial wicket of Hetmyer.
- Spinner Adam Zampa had a memorable day, taking a wicket in his 100th T20 international match.
Australia’s Chase
Australia’s chase got off to a rocky start, losing three quick wickets to be 29/3. However, a powerful middle-order partnership turned the game around.
- Mitchell Owen (37) and Cameron Green (32) launched a brilliant counterattack to get the chase back on track.
- Aaron Hardie played a calm and crucial innings, finishing with 28 not out to guide Australia to victory with 18 balls to spare.
Ben Dwarshuis was named the Player of the Match for his excellent bowling, while all-rounder Cameron Green was named the Player of the Series for his consistent performances.
A Perfect Tour and a Proud Captain
This T20 series win completes a perfect tour for Australia, who also won the preceding Test series 3-0, meaning they were undefeated in all eight matches.
After the match, captain Mitchell Marsh expressed his pride in the team’s historic achievement.
“I didn’t expect 5-0 at the start of the series,” Marsh said. “But we played some great cricket. It was something we spoke about after the fourth game. We knew no Australian team had completed a clean sweep. It’ll be something we’re very proud of.”
For the West Indies, it was a difficult series. Captain Shai Hope admitted his team’s batting was not consistent enough, saying:
“We never put together a proper batting display. Against a quality team you can’t get away with that.”
Both teams will now look ahead to their next challenges, with Australia returning home for a series against South Africa, and the West Indies preparing to host Pakistan.
Source: Reuters, Cricket Australia
