Record-breaking knock from Ben Stokes as England seal series whitewash
Ben Stokes slammed a 24-ball half-century as England chased down a target of 82 in 7.2 overs.
England sealed a series whitewash with a comprehensive win in Birmingham on Sunday against West Indies. The match was still up for grabs heading into day four but a clinical bowling performance led by Mark Wood helped England restrict West Indies.
Wood took five for 40, with all five wickets coming in a spell where he conceded just nine runs.
With 82 to chase down, Stokes opened the batting alongside Ben Duckett and went hammer and tongs from the get-go.
Ben Stokes hit 84 from 76.
Stokes started the innings with two fours in the opening over off Alzarri Joseph, and added two more in the next over by Jayden Seales.
The skipper kept going for his shots, racing to his half-century off just 24 balls, the fastest Test fifty by an Englishman. It was also the joint-third-fastest fifty in Test cricket.
Misbah-ul-Haq holds the record for the fastest fifty in Tests, making a half-century off just 21 balls against Australia in 2014.
Fastest Test fifties
| Player | Balls taken | Opposition | Year |
| Misbah-ul-Haq | 21 | Australia | 2014 |
| David Warner | 23 | Pakistan | 2017 |
| Jacques Kallis | 24 | Zimbabwe | 2005 |
| Ben Stokes | 24 | West Indies | 2024 |
| Shane Shillingford | 25 | New Zealand | 2014 |
With three comprehensive victories, England have six wins in this cycle of the ICC World Test Championship and are sixth in the standings.