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The electric atmosphere of Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium played host to a Caribbean masterclass on Wednesday, as the West Indies squared off against England in a high-stakes Group C encounter. In the 15th match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, the narrative of the evening was written by pure power and tactical resilience. While the English bowling attack started with clinical precision, they eventually found themselves at the mercy of a brutal counter-offensive that shifted the momentum of the tournament.
Sherfane Rutherford lights up T20 World Cup 2026 with brutal assault on England
The headline of the night belonged to Sherfane Rutherford, whose unbeaten 76 off 42 deliveries turned a precarious situation into a position of absolute dominance. Coming in when the West Indies were struggling to find a rhythm, Rutherford played an innings of two halves, initially steadying the ship before launching a calculated riot against the English seamers.
Rutherford’s knock was a highlight reel of modern T20 batting, featuring 2 fours and 9 towering sixes. He reached his half-century in just 29 balls, signalling a shift in gears that left the English captain searching for answers. His ability to manipulate the field and clear the ropes with ease reminded the world why the West Indies remain the most dangerous side in the shortest format. Whether it was lofting Will Jacks over long-on or punishing Jofra Archer’s pace, Rutherford was immovable, ending with a strike rate of 180.95.
Sherfane Ruth-less! 🔥
Sherfane Rutherford brings up his fifty & will look to finish the West Indian innings on a high! 💥
ICC Men’s | | LIVE NOW 👉
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia)
West Indies post a formidable total against England
The road to a total of 196/6 was far from smooth. The match began with a shock to the West Indian system as Jofra Archer and Sam Curran dismantled the top order within the first two overs. Shai Hope departed for a duck, followed immediately by Brandon King, leaving the Windies reeling at 8/2.
The recovery began with Shimron Hetmyer, who injected much-needed energy with a quickfire 23, helping the team reach 54/3 by the end of the Powerplay. However, the middle overs were a battle of attrition. Adil Rashid was the standout performer for England, strangling the scoring rate with figures of 2/16 and removing the set Roston Chase (34) via a successful LBW shout that survived a DRS challenge.
The momentum swung permanently during the latter half of the innings. After Rovman Powell fell for 14, Jason Holder joined Rutherford to provide a finishing kick. Holder’s cameo of 33 off 17 balls was instrumental, as the duo shared a blistering 50-run partnership in just 26 deliveries. Despite Jamie Overton picking up two late wickets, the damage was done. The West Indies plundered 69 runs in the final five overs, setting England a daunting target of 197 on a surface that began to favour the bold.
Here’s how fans reacted:
Sherfane Rutherford registers his highest T20I score 🔥
— betvisa68.com (@CricketTimesHQ)
SHERFANE RUTHERFORD SMASHED 76 IN 42 BALLS.
– 2 fours & 7 sixes, pure domination.
— A D U (@cricfootadnan)
Sherfane Rutherford plays a crucial knock against England 🔥🔥
76 off 42 ( 2 4's & 7 6's) 🔥🔥
He will be playing at the same venue in 45 days or so…can't wait for fireworks 🥵💥
— RATrovert🗡️🩸 (@ratrovert26)
Half-century for Sherfane Rutherford off just 29 balls against England at Wankhede! 🔥
And in just a few weeks, he’ll return to the same venue, that time in a different jersey 💙
— 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒃𝒂𝒔 (@Shebas_10dulkar)
Sherfane Rutherford is an absolute beast. The kind of power he generates is unreal. Clearing the Wankhede ground might just become routine for him. Start the IPL.
— R A T N I S H (@LoyalSachinFan)
SHERFANE RUTHERFORD 🥶
– A knock to remember, he has been a beast in T20s, ruling for both franchise & country in this year.
76* runs from just 42 balls including 2 fours & 7 sixes.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns)
