England began their new era under white-ball captain Harry Brook with a dominant 238-run win over the West Indies at Edgbaston, thanks largely to Jacob Bethellās expertly paced 82 off 53 balls. The 21-year-oldās performance helped England post a massive 400-8, setting a daunting target that the West Indies collapsed to 162 all out while chasing.
Bethell, fresh from IPL duties, impressed on his Warwickshire home ground with a confident innings full of calculated aggression, rounding out Englandās innings after solid starts from Ben Duckett, Joe Root, and Brook himself. Harry Brook hailed Bethellās innings as match-winning, emphasizing the young playerās all-round skills in batting, bowling, and fielding, and predicted a long, successful England career for him.
This victory ended Englandās seven-match losing streak in ODIs and gave them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Bethellās recent IPL commitments meant he missed Englandās recent Test win over Zimbabwe, but speculation is growing about his potential return to the Test side for the upcoming five-match series against India. Englandās Test captain Ben Stokes hinted that Bethell might rejoin the squad, adding fuel to ongoing debates about the teamās batting lineup.
Despite the talk, Bethell remained modest and focused, stating that he hadnāt received much communication about his Test future and that he would be content with whatever role he is given. His calm demeanor and strong performance, however, signal that he is a key player for Englandās future across formats.
The bowlers backed up the strong batting display, with Saqib Mahmood taking three crucial wickets and Jamie Overton contributing despite a finger injury. Englandās comprehensive performance on all fronts marks a promising start for Harry Brookās captaincy and a bright future for rising stars like Bethell.
