England’s T20 World Cup 2022 standout, Sam Curran, faced a challenging day during the first One-Day International against West Indies at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua. Unfortunately, Curran’s performance with the ball turned forgettable as he conceded 98 runs in 9.5 overs, setting a record for the most runs conceded by an English bowler in ODIs.
The left-arm pacer’s outing surpassed Steve Harmison’s previous record of 97 runs in 10 overs against Sri Lanka in 2006. Curran’s struggles were particularly evident in the last two overs he bowled, the 45th and 49th of the innings, where he conceded 15 and 19 runs, respectively. These overs played a pivotal role in West Indies successfully chasing down the 326-run target, marking their second-highest ODI run-chase ever.
Sam Curran faced the onslaught from West Indies’ Romario Shepherd and Shai Hope, who struck boundaries and sixes during the critical overs. Hope, in particular, hammered Curran for three sixes in the 49th over.
Despite his bowling woes, Sam Curran had a noteworthy contribution with the bat earlier in the match, scoring a quick 38 off 26 balls. His partnership of 66 runs off 38 balls with Brydon Carse for the eighth wicket provided England with a late flourish, helping them reach a total of 325 in 50 overs.
This performance comes on the heels of Sam Curran’s disappointing World Cup campaign, where he managed to pick up only two wickets in three matches at an economy rate of 8.07. The 25-year-old all-rounder now faces the challenge of bouncing back from this record-breaking bowling display and finding his form in the series against West Indies.
