New Zealand vs West Indies 1st T20I Highlights: Santner’s Fighting Knock Not Enough As WI Clinch 7-Run Win
Auckland: Captain Mitchell Santner’s blistering unbeaten 55 wasn’t enough to save New Zealand as West Indies edged out the hosts by seven runs in a nail-biting first T20I at Eden Park. Chasing 165, New Zealand crumbled to 108/9, before Santner and Jacob Duffy stitched a 50-run stand for the final wicket, but fell just short at 157/9.
>>>> Santner’s Heroics in Vain as West Indies Edge New Zealand by 7 Runs in Thriller
West Indies Post Fighting Total on Tricky Pitch
- Put into bat, West Indies battled early struggles on a two-paced wicket.
- Skipper Shai Hope led from the front with a composed 53 off 39 balls.
- Rovman Powell (33 off 21) provided power-hitting in the death overs, along with valuable support from Roston Chase (28).
- The visitors finished at 164/6 in 20 overs, a total that seemed slightly below par initially but proved match-winning.
New Zealand Collapse, Santner Fights Alone
- New Zealand started well with Tim Robinson (27) and Devon Conway scoring freely in the powerplay.
- But once Conway fell, the innings unraveled quickly.
- Roston Chase (3/26), Jayden Seales (3/32) and Akeal Hosein dismantled the batting lineup, reducing the hosts to 88/6 and then 108/9.
- With 56 runs needed off the last 18 balls, Santner launched an extraordinary counter-attack—hitting a 23-run over off Matthew Forde and another 13-run over off Jason Holder.
- However, Romario Shepherd held his nerve in the final over, defending 19 runs to seal victory.
New Zealand vs West Indies Highlights 1st T20I
Match Summary
| Match | NZ vs West Indies – 1st T20I |
|---|---|
| Venue | Eden Park, Auckland |
| Result | West Indies won by 7 runs |
| Series | WI lead 1–0 (5-match series) |
West Indies – 164/6 (20)
Shai Hope 53, Rovman Powell 33; Jacob Duffy 2/19
New Zealand – 157/9 (20)
Mitchell Santner 55, Tim Robinson 27; Roston Chase 3/26, Jayden Seales 3/32*
Key Highlights
✔️ WI register their first-ever T20I win in regulation time in New Zealand
✔️ Lowest total successfully defended at Eden Park in T20Is
✔️ Santner’s unbeaten 55 off 28 (7 fours, 2 sixes) keeps NZ alive till the end
✔️ Roston Chase named Player of the Match for his all-round brilliance
✔️ WI bowlers master tricky two-paced surface; NZ lose 9 wickets in middle collapse
Captain’s Reactions
Shai Hope (WI Captain):
“Communication was key in pressure moments. Credit to Santner for the way he batted—it did get scary. We thought we were 10–15 short, but the pitch helped our bowlers.”
Mitchell Santner (NZ Captain):
“We felt 164 was chaseable. Credit to West Indies—they read the conditions better. Plenty of learnings ahead of the next match.”
What’s Next?
- 2nd T20I: Thursday, 6th November
- Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
- Start Time: 6:15 AM GMT
- Quick turnaround—no time to dwell; both teams gear up for another thriller.
New Zealand vs West Indies 1st T20I Highlights: Santner’s Fighting Knock Not Enough As WI Clinch 7-Run Win
