Kingston, July 21 (NationPress) Mitchell Owen kicked off his T20I journey in spectacular fashion, contributing significantly with both bat and ball to lead Australia to a thrilling three-wicket victory over West Indies in the first match of the five-game series held at Sabina Park, Jamaica.

The 23-year-old all-rounder revealed he felt more anxious bowling than batting during his debut but rose to the occasion. In his solitary over, Owen captured the vital wicket of Shai Hope for 55, igniting a stunning collapse as West Indies lost 6 wickets for just 30 runs - a pivotal moment in the game. However, his over didn’t begin as he hoped, with Shimron Hetmyer hitting his first delivery for six.

"I thought I was on 36 off the over there when he smacked me for six first ball. But I was fortunate that Shai hit one up in the air, granting me my first wicket. I was quite nervous running in those initial six balls, but it felt great to get it out of the way," Owen stated.

Owen's batting performance was even more impressive. Batting at No.6—a position he seldom plays—he scored 50 runs off just 27 balls, becoming only the third Australian man to achieve a half-century on T20I debut, following in the footsteps of Ricky Ponting and David Warner. Despite the unaccustomed role, Owen maintained the same aggressive mindset that helped him excel as an opener in the previous BBL season, where he scored two centuries for the Hobart Hurricanes.

"I honestly tried not to focus too much on the field placements and just reacted to each delivery, which I believe worked well for me," Owen explained.

"Of course, it's a bit different, but my strategy and game plan weren’t too far off from opening the batting. We needed to maintain a strike rate of around ten when I came in, so I aimed to stay positive and attack from the first ball."

Owen’s aggressive approach was evident as he tackled spin—historically a challenging area for Australia’s middle order. He hit three sixes in four balls against Akeal Hosein and added more runs against Andre Russell and Alzarri Joseph. Partnering with Cameron Green, they forged a crucial 80-run partnership off 40 balls after the team was in a precarious position at 78 for 4.

"It was incredibly enjoyable. This was my first time playing alongside Greeny, and it was great to contribute to a solid partnership. We managed to keep each other calm and focused on our processes," Owen shared.

To top off his remarkable debut, Owen was presented with his cap by close friend and Hurricanes captain Nathan Ellis, with his parents and partner present to witness the occasion.

"It was really special," Owen reminisced. "He said some wonderful words to me. I was absolutely thrilled to receive the cap and to have my parents here... they’ve made numerous sacrifices throughout my life, and this trip is just another testament to that. I’m incredibly grateful they got to share this moment with me."