– Advertisement –
Another thriller in the series, and for the second time New Zealand held their nerve. After posting 177 for nine, the hosts had West Indies reeling at 88/8 in 12.3 overs, seemingly cruising to victory. But Shamar Springer (39 off 20) and Romario Shepherd staged a stunning fightback, adding 78 runs off 39 balls to bring the equation down to 13 off 7. Jacob Duffy’s spectacular diving catch dismissed Springer off the last ball of the 19th over, and Kyle Jamieson defended 12 in the final over to seal a nine-run win and give New Zealand a 2-1 series lead.
During the home side’s innings, Devon Conway (56 off 34) and Daryl Mitchell (41 off 24) powered New Zealand to a competitive total. Conway was in sublime form, reaching his 12th T20I fifty with a mix of scoops and powerful strokes. At 96 for two after ten overs, New Zealand targeted 200, but three run-outs and excellent death bowling from Matthew Forde (2/20) and Jason Holder (2/33) triggered a collapse. The hosts lost six wickets for 35 runs in the final five overs, falling well short of expectations.
When it came the visitors’ turn to bat, Jacob Duffy struck twice in his opening over, dismissing Amir Jangoo and Shai Hope to set the tone. Ish Sodhi (3/34) then dismantled the middle order, removing Alick Athanaze, Rovman Powell, and Matthew Forde as West Indies crashed from 53 for two to 88 for eight, losing six wickets for just 35 runs.
However, just when the game seemed over, Shepherd and Springer launched a breathtaking assault, finding boundaries at will. Shepherd hit Duffy for a 103-meter six as West Indies needed 24 off 12 balls. But Duffy’s stunning return catch ended Springer’s knock, and Jamieson used hard-length deliveries to unsettle Shepherd. With 10 needed off 2 balls, Shepherd miscued a full toss to long-off, giving New Zealand their second consecutive last-over victory. (ESPN Cricinfo)
About The Author
– Advertisement –
