Bizarre West Indies tactic backfires as Australia complete clean sweep

Australia has made cricket history but it could have been very different if not for a major West Indies blunder.

2 min read

July 29, 2025 - 2:46PM

Australia has completed a men’s series whitewash for the first time in history after chasing down a 171 run target set by the West Indies with 18 balls to spare and three wickets in hand on Tuesday.

A brilliant 63-run partnership in just 28 balls by Mitchell Owen (37 off 17 balls) and player of the series Cameron Green (32 off 18) helped lift the Aussies to another win in the fifth and final T20.

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The victory capped off a brilliant tour for the Australians, winning all eight matches they played.

However, the final T20 could have had a very different result if not for a bizarre move from West Indies captain Shai Hope.

Chasing 171 to win, the run rate was never going to be an issue for the Aussies,

But after Glenn Maxwell (0 off 1 ball), Josh Inglis (10 off 5) and Mitchell Marsh (14 off 8) fell within the space of eight balls of each other, Australia were on the ropes, at 3/25 after 2.2 overs.

The Aussies have completed a clean sweep of the West Indies. Image: Getty/Kayo

And after dismissing the dangerous Tim David for 30 off just 12 balls, the West Indies had the game by the scruff of its neck, with Australia 4/60.

Windies quicks Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph had the Aussies in all sorts, but bizarrely were pulled off by captain Shai Hope after bowling just two overs each.

It was a decision the 31-year-old would now surely regret as fellow seamers Jediah Blades, Matthew Forde and Romario Shepherd were smashed around the ground.

They also turned to an even more peculiar tactic of bowling pace off around the wicket.

The Aussie batters lapped that up as Owen and Green combined for a partnership of 63 in just 28 balls.

And former Australian wicket keeper Brad Haddin slammed Hope for his tactical blunder.

“I feel like they missed a trick,” Haddin said on commentary for ESPN.

“Two most senior fast bowlers were both on a heater, wanting to get into the contest. They had two wickets each.

Australia's players celebrate with the trophy at the end of the fifth and final T20. (Photo by Randy Brooks / AFP)

Nathan Ellis (L) and Sean Abbott (2L) of Australia celebrate the dismissal of Romario Shepherd (R). (Photo by Randy Brooks / AFP)

“Sometimes you just have to go with that gut feel, (rather than being) worried about what’s going to happen in four overs time.”

Haddin added at the end of Forde’s 22-run over: “Alzarri Joseph, he looks unhappy because he should be bowling.”

Bringing spinner Akeal Hosein into the attack bore immediate fruit as he dismissed Owen, but it was too little too late with Australia only needing 48 off 64 by the time Owen trudged off.

In the end, Australia deserve all the praise, a perfect 8 from 8, while the West Indies have been left with a lot of thinking to do.

– with Fox Sports