West Indies edge New Zealand in T20 thriller

The West Indies drew first blood in their five-match T20I series against New Zealand, defending a modest total of 164 to claim a nail-biting seven-run victory at Eden Park here on Wednesday.

The win, which saw them successfully defend the lowest-ever total at the venue, was set up by a captain’s knock from Shai Hope and a masterful all-round performance from Roston Chase, before a late onslaught from New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner provided a heart-stopping finish.

Sent into bat, the West Indies top order struggled to adapt to the bouncy Auckland pitch after coming off less juicy surfaces on tours of Bangladesh and India.

They found themselves in early trouble at 43 for three, after Jacob Duffy sent back Brandon King in the first over for three, and then Kyle Jamieson had Alick Athanaze caught for 16.

Jimmy Neesham then got in on the act, as he sent back the inform Akeem Auguste for two.

But skipper Shai Hope orchestrated a rescue mission. Overcoming a sluggish start, Hope weathered the storm and accelerated to a vital 53 off 39 balls, anchoring the innings.

He found a reliable partner in Roston Chase (28), who was involved in the two biggest partnerships of the innings. Hope and Chase added 54 for the fourth wicket, after which Chase and Rovman Powell put on 49 runs for the fifth wicket.

Powell (33), who was dropped twice, helped push the total to 164 for six, with Romario Shepherd finishing off the innings with a couple of boundaries.

For New Zealand, Duffy was the pick of the bowlers, with a miserly two for 19 from his four overs.

The West Indies defence was ignited by a fiery spell from returning seamer Matthew Forde. Playing his first competitive cricket since July, Forde was menacing with the new ball, troubling the Kiwi top order with swing and pace.

He clean-bowled Devon Conway for 13 in a powerplay burst that yielded just nine runs from his first three overs.

From the other end, the spin of Roston Chase proved devastating. On a ground known for its short boundaries, Chase’s clever off breaks yielded three for 26, tearing through the New Zealand middle order and reducing the hosts to a precarious 107 for nine in the 17th over.

Jayden Seales wasn’t to be undone, as he bagged three for 32 to help break the heart of the Kiwi batting lineup.

Just as a comprehensive victory seemed certain, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner launched a stunning counter-attack. He smashed an unbeaten 55 from just 28 balls, single-handedly turning the chase on its head.

His late fireworks, which included a 23-run over off Forde, electrified the sparse crowd and brought New Zealand back from the brink.

The match went down to the final over, with the Black Caps needing 20 runs. Santner clubbed a six off Romario Shepherd to keep hopes alive, but the bowler held his nerve under extreme pressure to seal the win by seven runs.

West Indies bowling coach Ravi Rampaul was pleased that his troops were able to come away with the victory.

“We’re very happy with our performance. You know, we didn’t have much time here, and coming and seeing how the guys performed with the energy that they put in and the execution that they did in the match was really commendable. ”

(CMC)