Jos Buttler joins elite T20I list with 96 vs WI
What's the story
Jos Buttler's explosive innings of 96 off just 59 balls led England to a comfortable 21-run victory over West Indies in the first T20I.
The match took place at Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street.
Buttler's knock was a mix of innovative and traditional strokes, including six fours and four sixes.
He narrowly missed out on a century but helped his side finish at 188/6.
En route to his knock, Buttler became the fourth batter to complete 600 T20I runs vs WI.
Milestones achieved
Buttler joins this list
As per ESPNcricinfo, Buttler now owns 611 runs versus WI across 23 T20Is at 33.94 (SR: 144.10).
Rohit Sharma (693), David Warner (662), and Phil Salt (640) are the only other batters with 600-plus runs against the team.
The Englishman surpassed Virat Kohli's tally of 570 runs vs WI.
Meanwhile, Buttler smashed his fifth fifty against the Caribbean side, equaling Rohit and Babar Azam's tally.
Only Warner (7) and Kohli (6) own more 50-plus scores against them.
Stats
90th T20 fifty for Buttler
Overall in T20s, this was Buttler's 90th fifty (100s: 8). He has smashed 543 sixes.
Buttler has raced to 12,747 runs at an average of 35.70 from 449 matches (423 innings).
The veteran Englishman has raced to 3,631 runs in T20Is at 35.95 from 135 matches (124 innings). He hit his 27th T20I fifty (100s: 1).
Notably, Buttler is England's leading run-getter in this format.
Tactical moves
Dawson takes 4 wickets on T20I return
Meanwhile, Liam Dawson, playing his first T20I in nearly three years, made an immediate impact with career-best figures of 4-20.
The left-arm spinner took down the West Indies middle order by dismissing Johnson Charles, Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase and Rovman Powell.
His brilliance meant WI couldn't get close to England (167/9).
This was Dawson's maiden T20I four-fer. Overall in T20s, he owns 245 scalps at 25.29. He has five four-fers.