Rovman Powell became just the third West Indies cricketer to score a T20I ton as the hosts beat England by 20 runs at the Kensington Oval to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series on Wednesday.

Powell’s maiden T20I ton included ten sixes and two fours as the 28-year-old Jamaican clubbed 107 runs from just 53 deliveries at a strike rate of 201.89 to lead the Windies to 224 for five – the highest T20I total at the Kensington Oval. It was also the West Indies’ highest T20I total against England. 

Also Read | 2nd T20I: England beat West Indies in 1-run thriller, series tied at 1-1

“Everything came out of the middle today,” Powell said in his post-match comments. 

“I know I can strike the ball well. I had a problem against wrist spin and the last seven months I went away and have been working on that and opening up the off side.”

The 28-year-old, who scored his maiden T20I ton in his 34th innings, became only the third Windies player after Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis to score a century in the shortest format. 

Also Read | PM Modi sends Republic Day greetings to Chris Gayle, Jonty Rhodes

The hosts lost openers Brandon King (10) and Shai Hope (4) cheaply but Powell put on a 122-run stand for the third wicket with Nicholas Pooran, who smashed 70 off 43, to stabilise the innings. Pooran’s knock included five sixes and four fours. 

In reply, opener Tom Banton top-scored for the tourists with a 39-ball 73 and kept a much changed England in the game until skipper Kieron Pollard struck to dismiss the 23-year-old. Pollard also removed stand-in skipper Moeen Ali, who led the visitors in place of injured regular captain Eoin Morgan.  

“A fantastic partnership took the game away from us but I’m proud of the way the boys batted at the end,” Ali said. “We are confident in our side and we said from the start it would be a brilliant series.”

Also Read | Rohit Sharma passes fitness test, to lead India in white-ball series against West Indies

Debutant Phil Salt’s 24-ball 57 only delayed the inevitable as England kept losing wickets at the other end to be bundled out for 204. 

The next two T20Is will also be played at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on January 30 and 31 respectively.