After being rescheduled due to COVID concerns, the second ODI between Australia and West Indies took place in Barbados. It saw West Indies chase Australia’s moderate score successfully to level the series 1-1. Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. However, they could not capitalize on the advantage and were reduced to 45/6 in less than 13 overs.
West Indian spinner, Akeal Hosein was the wrecker-in-chief managing to pick up 3 of the first 6 wickets while Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, and Sheldon Cottrell accounted for the Australian top-order. In the 17th over of Australia’s batting innings, a bizarre instance occurred which saw West Indies field with only 10 men on a free-hit delivery.
The left-arm spinner, Hosein was the bowler who had bowled the no-ball. Mitchell Starc was the batsman on strike. As Australia was already under pressure, skipper Pollard had placed himself at short leg to build more pressure on the Australian batsmen. As no runs were scored of the original delivery and the same batsman was on strike for the free-hit, no field changes were allowed as per the ICC rules.
However, as it is expected that the batsman would slog to make full use of the free hit, in the interest of safety, the WI skipper chose to move out of the field. Thus, resulting in West Indies fielding with only 10 men on the field.
Australia managed to score 187 runs with the help of contributions from Adam Zampa and Wes Agar in the lower order. West Indies had a nervy start losing two wickets to Mitchell Starc in the first 3 overs of the innings.
Australia managed to reduce West Indies to 72/5 but the fifties from Holder and Pooran saw the Men in Maroon chase down the score quite comfortably. Skipper Nicholas Pooran was adjudged player of the match for his performance.
