Australia defeated England by 36 runs in Barbados on Saturday, leaving the defending champions’ T20 World Cup hopes in jeopardy. The defeat means Jos Buttler’s men are still without a win after their opening game against Scotland was ruined by rain. But Australia, who posted 201-7, are top of Group B with two wins after restricting their fierce rivals to 165-6 from their 20 overs. Australia’s first goals came off the blocks and the team posted the first 200-plus score of the tournament, although no batsman reached 40. Phil Salt and Buttler gave England a solid platform in their response, reaching 54–0 after six overs before going he accelerated, taking 19 from Mitchell Starc’s third.
But spinner Adam Zampa bowled Salt (37) with his first ball to leave England 73-1 in the eighth over and took the prized wicket of Buttler in his next over for 42.
Will Jacks was caught by Starc deep off the bowling of Marcus Stoinis for 10 as Australia turned the screw, conceding just 11 runs in three overs.
Moeen Ali hit three sixes off Glenn Maxwell but Jonny Bairstow was cheap and Moeen died for 25, caught by David Warner in the deep as England’s situation became increasingly desperate.
England became bogged down in disciplined bowling as the run rate increased and Zampa finished with impressive figures of 2-28 from his four overs.
Earlier, Buttler chose to bowl at Kensington Oval but quickly lost control when openers Travis Head and Warner flew into a rage.
Spinner Jacks made 22 runs in his first over, conceding three sixes in Australia’s bowling debut.
Paceman Mark Wood also conceded 22 runs in his first over as Australia raced to 55-0 in four overs, savoring a short boundary at one end of the pitch.
Moeen made the breakthrough England desperately needed in the fifth over, bowling Warner for 39 and paceman Jofra Archer flattened the stumps of Head (34), leaving Australia 74-2.
Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh scored hundreds in the 10th over, but Australia were reduced to 141-4 after both batsmen departed in quick succession.
Stoinis (30) and Matthew Wade took Australia to the 200 mark, with Archer being the pick of the bowlers, taking 1-28 from his four overs.
The two best teams in the group will advance to the Super 8 stage of the competition.
An early exit for England would be a nightmare after their miserable 50-over World Cup title defense in India last year.
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