West Indies opener Brandon King expressed his delight after scoring a match-winning 102 in the third and final One Day International (ODI) against England, helping his team secure an emphatic eight-wicket victory and seal the series 2-1. King’s third ODI century came at a pivotal time after a challenging run of low scores, with the batsman only managing 63, 5, 23, 14, 16, 16, 30, and 7 across matches stretching back to the series against Sri Lanka in early October.
In Wednesday night’s clash at Kensington Oval in Barbados, Player of the Match King found his form alongside Kaecy Carty, who scored an unbeaten 128. The pair forged a record-breaking 209-run partnership, setting up the West Indies’ chase of England’s 263-8 and delivering a memorable series win for the home side.
Reflecting on his return to form, King attributed his performance to sticking with his routine and mental approach despite the string of low scores.
“After a fair number of starts, I’m fortunate this hundred came in such a crucial match,” King said. “I kept to my processes, maintained the same intensity, and trusted in my ability. Kaecy played a fantastic innings, batting fluently, which really helped both of us build a strong platform.”
In addition to his innings with the bat, King made a notable impact in the field with a stunning relay catch to dismiss England’s Phil Salt, who had threatened with a score of 74. In the 34th over, Salt attempted to clear wide long-on but found King stationed deep. King leapt backward to grab the catch, managing to stay in balance near the boundary rope, and then backhanded the ball to Alzarri Joseph, who completed the dismissal.
Speaking about the catch, King commented, “[On Salt’s dismissal] I had a bit of room, and luckily Alzarri was there to give me a bit of help. It was one of those moments where everything just clicked.”
With this hard-fought series win, led by King’s resurgence and Carty’s steady knock, the West Indies head into the upcoming five-match T20 series against England with momentum and renewed confidence.
