A remarkable record-breaking innings from power hitter Tim David has carried Australia to a six-wicket win and an unassailable 3-0 lead in their five-match T20I series against the West Indies.
Chasing a testing target of 215, Australia were struggling at 87 for 4 in the ninth over of their run chase at the small Warner Park ground in Basseterre, St Kitts.
David then launched an extraordinary attack on the three West Indies spinners, blasting nine sixes in a match-tilting three-over onslaught, including four in a row off Gudakesh Motie.
He was dropped at wide long on on 90 and completed Australia’s fastest T20I century with a leg-glanced boundary with 23 balls remaining, finishing 102 not out off 37 balls.
David thrashed 11 sixes and six fours in a spectacular exhibition and featured in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 128 with Mitchell Owen (36 off 16).
The win, achieved with 23 balls remaining, was Australia’s 10th win from their last 11 T20Is, while the Windies have lost nine of their last 10.
It was David’s highest T20I score, eclipsing his 92 for Singapore, the nation of his birth.
“I didn’t think I would have the opportunity to score a hundred for Australia, so I’m so grateful for that opportunity and pretty stoked,” David told ESPN.
“The pitch was good and obviously there was a strong breeze and small boundaries, so you’ve got to back your strengths and it’s probably best when I’m attacking them.”
Earlier, West Indies openers Shai Hope (102 not out off 57 balls) and Brandon King (62 off 36) blasted 125 off 11.4 overs.
Captain Hope dashed to his highest T20I score, reaching his first century off 55 deliveries, with West Indies finishing at 214-4 after being sent in for the third straight game.
Hope and King were particularly brutal with their straight hitting, with the first eight sixes of the innings disappearing over the arc.
The hosts smashed 13 sixes and were 161 for 1 in the 15th over, but were contained to 49 off their last five, with Sean Abbott and Nathan Ellis (1-37 off four) executing well.
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Recalled quick Abbott (0-21 off four) bowled the only two overs in which the West Indies didn’t hit at least one boundary or six.
“I don’t think we had enough runs on the board on a pitch like that,” Hope told ESPN.
After being so effective in the second game of the series, spinners Adam Zampa (1-51 off four) and Glenn Maxwell (0-31 off two) were on the receiving end of some brutal batting.
Australia raced to 30 without loss after two overs, but then lost four wickets for 56 runs.
Glenn Maxwell (20 off seven) was run out well short of his ground after Mitchell Marsh played a ball into the covers.
Josh Inglis (15 off six) also produced a quickfire cameo before hitting the ball straight to deep square leg, Marsh (22 off 19) was caught behind off a thick outside edge and Cameron Green (11 off 14) was caught off a top edge.
The series concludes with two more matches at the same venue on Sunday and Tuesday Australian time.
