After a mixed tour of Bangladesh, the West Indies began their New Zealand series with a hard-fought win, defeating the hosts by seven runs in the first T20I at Eden Park, Auckland on Wednesday.
Batting first after being put in, the visitors overcame early hiccups to post 164 for 6, thanks to skipper Shai Hope’s composed 53 off 39 balls. Hope struck four fours and three sixes in a classy innings that steadied the West Indies after they were reduced to 43 for 3 inside seven overs.
It was all about staying calm. Communication is key in crucial moments. We didn’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. Mitch’s hitting was scary, but communication was clear and we executed well. I might have gone a bit too hard early since I was eyeing a 200-plus total, but 164 was fine on that surface.
Rovman Powell (33) and Roston Chase (28) played crucial cameos to give the innings late momentum. For New Zealand, Jacob Duffy and Zakary Foulkes claimed two wickets each, while Kyle Jamieson and James Neesham picked one apiece.
Santner’s Fightback In Vain
Chasing 165, New Zealand got off to a brisk start as Tim Robinson and Devon Conway added 30 runs in the first three overs. But Matthew Forde removed Conway to trigger a slide. Despite a few handy contributions from Robinson (27) and Rachin Ravindra (21), the hosts struggled to build partnerships as wickets fell at regular intervals.
The turning point came in the middle overs when Roston Chase and Jayden Seales ripped through the batting order, reducing the Black Caps to 107 for 9. Chase finished with 3 for 26, while Seales picked 3 for 32, combining control with aggression.
At that stage, the visitors looked set for a comfortable victory, but Mitchell Santner had other ideas. The Kiwi skipper launched a spirited counterattack, smashing 23 runs in one over off Forde and keeping hopes alive till the very end. His unbeaten 55 off 35 balls brought the game down to the final over, with 20 runs needed. However, the Windies held their nerve to seal a seven-run win and a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Santner: ‘We Were Put Under Pressure’
Reflecting on the narrow defeat, Santner praised the West Indies bowlers for keeping his side in check.
I think the way they bowled really put pressure on us. We were reasonably happy with 164 at the halfway mark. You come up against a good side and they bowled what they needed to. Our start with the ball was good, but those middle overs slowed us down.
The Kiwi skipper remained optimistic, adding, “Whenever we are confronted tomorrow on a similar wicket, we’ll take the learnings. We don’t want to dwell too much on it — just improve where we can.”
West Indies Begin Tour On A High
The victory gave the West Indies early momentum in what will be a long and testing tour featuring five T20Is, three ODIs, and three Test matches. With their bowlers showing composure under pressure and Hope leading from the front, the visitors will be keen to carry this form into the second T20I.
Brief Scores West Indies: 164/6 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 53, Rovman Powell 33; Jacob Duffy 2-19, Zakary Foulkes 2-35) New Zealand: 157/9 in 20 overs (Mitchell Santner 55*, Tim Robinson 27; Roston Chase 3-26, Jayden Seales 3-32) Result: West Indies won by 7 runs
