New Zealand vs West Indies, 1st T20I Match Summary
West Indies won the first T20I against New Zealand in Auckland by seven runs, marking New Zealand's fourth consecutive T20I loss at Eden Park — their longest losing streak there since 2016-2018.
West Indies Batting Performance
West Indies started shakily with openers Brandon King (3) and Alick Athanaze (16) dismissed early in the powerplay, followed soon by Ackeem Auguste (2). Captain Shai Hope stabilized the innings with 53 runs, supported by Roston Chase's 28. Rovman Powell accelerated late, scoring 33 runs off 23 balls, pushing the total to 165.
Powell noted the target was "20 runs short of par" during the second innings.
New Zealand Bowling Efforts
The West Indies bowlers performed well to defend the total. Jayden Seales took 3 wickets for 32 runs, and Roston Chase added 3 for 26, disturbing the New Zealand batting lineup as the hosts fell to 107 for 9.
New Zealand's Batting Fightback
Mitchell Santner was the standout batsman for New Zealand, remaining unbeaten with a fifty (55*). New Zealand required 56 runs from the last 18 balls, and Santner contributed 36 runs in two overs, setting up a tense finish, but it was not enough to secure victory.
Despite Santner's effort, New Zealand collapsed under pressure in the final overs.
Match Impact
- West Indies secured a significant initial lead in the five-match series.
- New Zealand faces pressure to improve after a continuing losing streak at Eden Park.
Author's summary: West Indies clinched a thrilling seven-run victory over New Zealand in the 1st T20I, ending the match with strong bowling and key partnerships despite New Zealand's late surge led by Mitchell Santner.