West Indies beat New Zealand on Wednesday (June 12) local time, to become the fourth team to enter the Super 8 stage. Riding on Sherfane Rutherford and Alzarri Joseph’s heroics, the Rovman Powell-led side pulled off an incredible win after reeling at 58 for 6 at one stage, after being asked to bat first in the Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba, Trinidad. Rutherford’s 39-ball 68*, with a calculative assault in the last two overs, and Joseph’s 4 for 19 along with a tight fielding effort, helped the co-hosts dent NZ’s run further. The Black Caps, with two back-to-back losses, have their Super 8 chances hanging by the slimmest of threads.

ALSO READ | T20 WC: Qualifying for Super 8s ‘big relief’, playing in New York wasn’t easy – Rohit after India beat USA

Talking about the contest, Kane Williamson & Co. opted to bowl first and were on top with half the Windies’ side back in the pavilion with only 30 runs on board. Rutherford held one end and stitched valuable knocks with the lower-order batters, with Akeal Hosein, Andre Russell and Romario Shepherd chipping in, before taking on Daryl Mitchell and Mitchell Santner in the last two overs. 37 runs came off the last 12 deliveries to change the momentum in WI’s favour.

In reply, NZ kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Only Glenn Phillips (33-ball 40) and Santner (who ended with an unbeaten 12-ball 21) fought hard for the Kiwis, but it wasn’t enough as Joseph (4 for19) and spinners Hosein (1 for 30) and Gudakesh Motie (3 for 25) starred for the two-time winners, along with some fine fielding. 

While WI are through to the next round, NZ now have a herculean task on their hands with two successive defeats. They lost to Afghanistan by 84 runs in their tournament opener.

You can now write for Baazigarnews.com and be a part of the Baazigar family. Share your stories and opinions with us here.