England set a new record for most sixes in a one-day inningsFourth one-day international, National Cricket Stadium, GrenadaEngland 418-6 (50 overs): Buttler 150, Morgan 103, Hales 82West Indies 389 (48 overs): Gayle 162, Rashid 5-85, Wood 4-60England win by 29 runsScorecard
Chris Gayle smashed a breathtaking 162 as West Indies fell agonisingly short of a famous one-day international victory against a Jos Buttler-inspired England in Grenada.
The hosts almost chased down England's 418-6 - Buttler hitting 150 off just 77 balls - but the tourists held their nerve for a 29-run win as leg-spinner Adil Rashid took four wickets in the 48th over.
For large parts of West Indies' astonishing chase, it appeared Gayle would see them home - the opener hammering 14 sixes in a memorable knock.
Hopes of a historic home win were dented when Ben Stokes dismissed Gayle with 16 overs remaining - the left-hander bowled attempting one big shot too many - but Carlos Brathwaite and Ashley Nurse continued the onslaught with an entertaining partnership of 88.
West Indies needed 32 runs from 18 balls at the start of 48th over but Rashid dismissed both Brathwaite (50 off 36) and Nurse (43 of 41) before taking the final two wickets.
Buttler had earlier hit his highest ODI score with 12 sixes and 13 fours while captain Eoin Morgan also made 103.
The pair shared a brutal partnership of 204 from 124 deliveries which took England to their third-highest ODI total - 154 runs coming in the final 10 overs alone.
The victory puts England 2-1 up in the five-match series with one game remaining, in St Lucia on Saturday (15:00 GMT).
England somehow hold on in thriller
England were clear favourites at the halfway stage - West Indies needed to make their highest ODI total to win - but few would have predicted what was to come.
The momentum swung throughout the hosts' chase but, for large parts, they looked to have the upper hand.
After Mark Wood had dismissed both John Campbell and Shai Hope within the first six overs, Gayle took charge and bludgeoned the England attack.
The opener was criticised for batting too slowly for his century in the first match of the series but here on a small ground he was aggressive from the start, reaching his 50 from 32 balls.
His second 50 runs were even quicker as he brought up three figures from 55 deliveries with all of the England bowlers, other than Wood, seemingly unable to prevent him from clearing the rope.
Gayle scored 105 runs in a 176-run stand with Darren Bravo, who made 61, and with those two at the crease West Indies were well ahead of the rate, reaching 220-2 from just 23 overs.
Wood returned to dismiss Bravo who miscued a pull shot and had Shimron Hetmyer caught in the deep two balls later, but Gayle continued his charge before eventually falling to Stokes.
At that stage England became clear favourites with lower-order batsmen Brathwaite, who famously scored four sixes to beat England in the 2016 World Twenty20 final, and Nurse at the crease, but after uncertain starts they continued Gayle's powerful hitting and took their side to the brink of victory.
England's performance in the field continued to be ragged with 11 wides bowled, overthrows conceded and Stokes dropping a difficult chance in the deep.
Rashid had been as guilty as anyone - his first nine overs costing 83 runs - but Morgan kept faith with his leg-spinner at the death and he responded by removing the lower order with a mix of leg-spinners and googlies.
England now head to St Lucia knowing they cannot lose their final series before they name their squad for this summer's World Cup on home soil.
More to follow.
