West Indies defended the lowest-ever whole in a T20I match on the Eden Park in Auckland to beat New Zealand by seven runs on Wednesday.

The West Indies bowled fantastically in protection of a reasonable whole to beat New Zealand by seven runs on Wednesday within the first recreation of a five-match T20I sequence. Captain Shai Hope top-scored with 53 from 39 balls because the West Indies made 164-6 after dropping the toss and batting first on a pitch that was two-paced and unpredictable.

New Zealand was then going effectively at 70/2 within the tenth over, earlier than dropping seven wickets for 37 runs to stoop to 107/9 within the seventeenth over. The match appeared over however New Zealand captain Mitch Santner fanned dwelling followers’ hopes with an impressive show of energy hitting as he made 55 from 28 balls.

Santner was purchased for Rs 2 crore by Nita Ambani’s Mumbai Indians on the IPL 2025 mega public sale final 12 months. He had claimed 10 wickets in 13 matches for MI in IPL 2025.

He hit 4 fours and a six from the 18th over bowled by Matthew Forde, then three fours from the primary three balls of the nineteenth over from Jason Holder. New Zealand got here to the ultimate over needing 20 to win and Santner hit the third ball from Romario Shepherd for six.

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Essential wickets to show the tide for the #MenInMaroon

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However Santner couldn’t sustain the assault, taking solely two runs from the subsequent two balls earlier than hitting a boundary from the ultimate supply. “I feel the way in which the West Indies bowled within the center there, they actually put stress on us,” Santner stated. “I assume we weren’t actually in a position to go wherever. We had been moderately proud of 164 on the turns but it surely was a kind of nights I assume.”

The West Indies got here to New Zealand from their sequence in Bangladesh and it appeared seemingly they’d battle in very completely different circumstances the place the ball swings and the bounce is extra pronounced. Eden Park often supplies tempo and bounce, however Wednesday’s pitch was initially ready for a rained-out Twenty20 in opposition to England final month and lacked its ordinary zip.

It produced a serious problem for all batters when the ball was banged into the floor. The West Indies misplaced Brandon King (3) to the final ball of the primary over of their innings from Jake Duffy. Alick Athanaze (16), who was fortunate to keep away from being run out on the non-striker’s finish when he was 2, was ultimately caught by Mark Chapman off Kyle Jamieson when he skied a pull shot.

The West Indies had been 32/2 after the primary energy play. Hope reached his ninth T20 half century with a six off Zak Foulkes’ bowling, then was clear bowled subsequent ball swinging throughout the road at a supply that stayed low.

Roston Chase (28) and Rovman Powell (33) placed on 49 for the fifth wicket. Powell hit two fours and two sixes in a 23-ball knock, giving impetus to the innings because the West Indies added 53 within the final 5 overs. New Zealand was 48/1 after the ability play, dropping Devon Conway (13) within the fourth over to a ball from Matthew Forde that was angled sharply in to the left-hander and pierced his tentative defensive shot. Tim Robinson (27) was out to the primary ball after the ability play.

New Zealand then grew to become slowed down. Boundaries had been uncommon and the autumn of wickets common because the Black Caps fell behind the run price. Chase bowled 4 wonderful overs of off-spin to assert 3-26 and Jayden Seales took 3-32.

The groups meet once more on the identical venue on Thursday.