Rovman Powell: "I am hitting the ball like one of the best in the world"

The West Indies' latest T20I centurion attributes his hot form down to an improvement against spin and striking form at the T10 League

Only time will tell if Rovman Powell becomes a staple of West Indies white-ball cricket, or an elusive Sporcle answer.

The Jamaican is just the fifth West Indies batter to reach three figures in a T20 international, joining some mightly esteemed company.

Chris Gayle, Deandra Dottin, Evin Lewis and Hayley Matthews were the first four to register centuries in the format, before Powell's ballistic assault on England in Barbados.

If the 28-year-old goes on to have half the career of that quartet then there will be no forgetting his name as the dreaded timer ticks down.

He picked up from where Akeal Hosein and Romario Shepherd had finished in the one-run defeat in the second T20 on Sunday (January 23) with an unbelievable spell of hitting, throwing England's bowlers around like rag dolls.

Liam Livingstone, Reece Topley, Moeen Ali, George Garton, Tymal Mills. Few were safe. Only Adil Rashid, who only bowled 11 deliveries to Powell, didn't go the boundary after the Windies identified him as the key man of the attack.

^{Deandra Dottin and Hayley Matthews: Powell is now among high-profile company (INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images)}

The 108-meter maximum off Mills was the most brutal of Powell's 10 sixes, a savage takedown of England's most skilful and quickest bowler.

But it was the approach against spin that defined Powell's assault. Previously an achillies heel, he went away and worked tirelessly at finding a way to prevail. Those efforts bore fruit on Wednesday (January 26).

"I know that I can strike the ball good, but I also have a little bit of a wrist-spin problem," Powell said. "Every time I start my innings they come and bowl wrist-spin. I went away and for the last six, seven months I've just been working on wrist-spin and trying to open up the offside.

"We know Rashid is the most threatening of all the bowlers so all we did is say we can get 24-30 off him - that's good, just to limit his wicket count, and then we'll chance our arm against the other bowlers, the other 16 overs. We wanted a left-hander and a right-hander and both batters communicate and share the workload."

He added on his spin education: "Just doing some research. All great players of spin will treat things, either they will advance down the wicket, either they sweep or they use the crease very well. 

^{Powell found form at the T10 League and the Lanka Premier League (ISHARA S. KODIKARA /Getty Images)}

"I decided over the last few months that I would incorporate that more into my game. I would start to sweep a little more and advance down the wicket a little bit more and I think that showed tonight."

Having played just a single T20I for the West Indies in 2021, Powell's surge back into the fold started at the Abu Dhabi T10 League with 305 runs at a strike rate of 191.82 for Northern Warriors. Only four batters registered more.

Scores of 42 and 61 followed for Kandy Warriors in the Lanka Premier League before an underwhelming return for the Pakistan T20s. He represented Jamaica against Ireland in a warm-up game before the ODI series, hitting an unbeaten 82 in an easy five-wicket win, but wasn't selected for the three matches.

This 107 is the highest score of Powell's career and proof that he's striking the ball as well as anyone in world cricket right now. The key is now how long it can last.

"I think I am in very, very good form," he gleamed. "I told the guys that I showed I am hitting the ball one of the best in the world at the moment. 

"It started from T10. I went there just to try and express myself, catch the eyes of the selectors. I think I did well and now everything is coming to fruition."

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