Watch: Gudakesh Motie’s takes a Gravity-Defying World to send Jos Buttler packing

The five-match T20I series between the West Indies and England has kicked off, with the Jos Buttler-led side taking a 1-0 lead with an eight-wicket victory in the first game in Barbados on Sunday (November 10).

Phil Salt completely dominated the West Indies bowlers to smash his third T20I century to secure a comprehensive win for the England cricket team in the ongoing five-match T20I series opener on Sunday.

Phil Salt’s unbeaten 103 leads England to an emphatic win over the West Indies

Notably, Salt has scored all his T20I centuries against the Caribbean side. The England opener played a wonderful knock of unbeaten 103 runs from 54 balls laced with nine fours and six sixes.

Apart from Salt, Jacob Bethell also smashed an unbeaten 58 runs off 36 balls to take England over the line inside 17 overs while chasing a 183-run target against the West Indies in the first T20I in Barbados.

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However, the highlight of the first T20I match wasn’t just Phil Salt’s unbeaten century, but a stunning catch that has garnered praise from all quarters. Gudakesh Motie took a one-handed catch that was heading over the boundary, ending Jos Buttler’s innings on the very first ball of his return to international cricket in the first T20I in Barbados.

Gudakesh Motie’s boundary-leaping catch amazes the Barbados crowd and Jos Buttler himself

Jos Buttler came to the crease on the fourth ball of the seventh over. Facing his first ball, Buttler went for a ramp shot off Romario Shepherd’s delivery, which was short and slower, hanging outside off, sending the ball flying towards the third man. The ball was airborne, and Gudakesh Motie, who was positioned slightly to the right at third man, sprinted towards the ball.

In a dramatic leap, Motie dashed to his left, stretched out a hand, and completed a stunning one-handed catch. Even the Caribbean cricketer lost his balance and fell to the ground, keeping his balance mere inches from the boundary in Barbados.

It was a breathtaking catch, as Gudakesh Motie plucked the ball out of mid-air. This stunning catch left Jos Buttler in disbelief as he left the field with a duck wearing a smile on his face. Well, it was not an easy catch, as the ball had almost passed behind Motie’s body.

Watch Gudakesh Motie's stunning catch to remove Jos Buttler for a duck here:

One of the BEST grabs you'll ever see! 🙌🏾🤩#TheRivalry | #WIvENG pic.twitter.com/8Sag2rTn9a

— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) November 9, 2024

Extending his left hand above, he pulled off a catch that would have otherwise gone for a six had he been even a fraction of a second slower. Unfortunately, Motie’s spectacular catch didn’t shift the game’s momentum in the West Indies' favor, as they suffered a heavy defeat against England.

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West Indies bowlers were not just enough to control the England batter’s onslaught, as Jacob Bethell and Phil Salt were enough to guide the tourists to a thrilling one-sided T20I affair in Barbados. For West Indies, the left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie and pacer Shepherd each scalped a piece against England.

Earlier, West Indies batters didn’t show any fight, as only Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, and Shepherd could manage 30+ runs to help the hosts post 182/9 on the board in their 20 overs. For England, pacer Saqib Mahmood and spinner Adil Rashid together managed seven wickets to help the tourists take control in the game from the start in Barbados.