A bizarre incident unfolded during the third ODI between West Indies and England at Kensington Oval, Barbados, when West Indies pacer Alzarri Joseph unexpectedly left the field mid-match after a disagreement with captain Shai Hope. The incident occurred early in the innings after Joseph bowled his second over, despite taking a wicket in it.
The disagreement began after the first delivery of Joseph’s over, when he and Hope had an extended discussion about field placement. England were at 10/1, and Joseph appeared frustrated with the field setup, specifically pointing toward the slips in visible frustration.
SCORECARD: WI vs ENG 3rd ODI
Despite the apparent tension, Joseph continued to bowl and delivered a 148.2 kph short ball, which resulted in the dismissal of England’s Jordan Cox, who gloved the ball to the wicketkeeper. However, rather than celebrating the wicket, Joseph left the field without speaking to Hope after completing a wicket-maiden.
West Indies coach Darren Sammy attempted to calm Joseph outside the boundary, but the fast bowler remained adamant and went to sit in the dugout. After a brief sit-out, Joseph rejoined the match without further incident, but he resumed bowling later in the 12th over only.
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Joseph finished with figures of 2 for 45 in his 10 overs, as England posted 263/8 in their 50 overs.
The unusual episode did not affect West Indies’ overall performance, as they cruised to an eight-wicket victory. Keacy Carty (128*), and Evin Lewis (102) led the successful run chase, reaching the target with 42 balls to spare, sealing a series win for the hosts.
The incident between Joseph and Hope remains a talking point, but the West Indies’ dominant performance overshadowed the controversy on the field.