Saint Vincent, March 22 (NationPress) Alana King showcased her impressive form in her return to Australia's T20I squad, achieving figures of 2-25 as the team celebrated a 17-run win against the West Indies in the second match of the series, securing an unassailable 2-0 lead with one game remaining.

Opting to bat first, Australia made a dynamic start led by Georgia Voll, whose aggressive knock of 39 runs off 23 balls set the pace with six boundaries and a six, ensuring the team capitalized well during the powerplay before her dismissal on the last ball of the sixth over.

As the innings progressed, Phoebe Litchfield and Ellyse Perry built a solid 58-run partnership for the third wicket. Litchfield scored 35 off 29 balls, while Perry's fluent 42 from 28 balls kept the innings moving along nicely.

Australia accelerated in the closing overs, with Perry, Georgia Wareham, and Nicola Carey contributing effectively to add 32 runs in the last four overs, bringing the total to a challenging 164/5.

In response, the West Indies faced an early blow with Qiana Joseph being run out in the fourth over due to Litchfield's sharp fielding. Although they managed to avoid further losses during the powerplay, the scoring was slow, with only 26 runs accrued in the first six overs.

The Australian bowlers maintained strict control, with Kim Garth spearheading the attack with an economical spell, supported by Carey, Darcie Brown, and King.

Captain Hayley Matthews initially struggled, scoring just one run from her first 12 balls, but later turned the game around with a counteroffensive, scoring 56 runs off 41 balls, including seven fours and three sixes, forming a vital 77-run partnership with Stafanie Taylor.

However, King shifted the momentum back to Australia during the middle overs. After a shaky start, she took the crucial wicket of Matthews with a catch at mid-off and followed up by dismissing Taylor in her next over, effectively stalling the West Indies' pursuit.

A late flourish from Deandra Dottin, who remained not out on 39, combined with a quick partnership with Jahzara Claxton, reduced the deficit but ultimately wasn't enough. The West Indies closed at 147/4, falling short as Australia claimed the series with a comprehensive all-round display.

Brief Scores: Australia 164/5 in 20 overs (Ellyse Perry 42, Georgia Voll 39; Deandra Dottin 1-30, Afy Fletcher 1-32) beat West Indies 147/4 in 20 overs (Hayley Matthews 56, Deandra Dottin 39; Alana King 2-25, Georgia Wareham 1-16) by 17 runs.