New Zealand Edge West Indies by 3 Runs in Thrilling Second T20I — Series Level 1-1
In a nail-biting finish at Sabina Park, New Zealand defeated West Indies by 3 runs in the second T20 International to level the three-match series 1–1. The visitors held their nerves in the final over as West Indies failed to score 7 runs off the last 4 balls, despite being in a strong position for most of the chase.
Batting first, New Zealand posted 165/7 in 20 overs after being put into bat by West Indies. Opener Finn Allen gave a fiery start with 46 off 27 balls, smashing five boundaries and two sixes. Skipper Mitchell Santner again contributed with the bat, scoring a crucial 39 off 30 balls, while Glenn Phillips added a quick 28 off 16 to push the total beyond 160. For the hosts, Alzarri Joseph and Akeal Hosein bowled well in the middle overs, picking up two wickets each.
In reply, West Indies began confidently. Brandon King (31) and Kyle Mayers (41 off 26) built a strong opening stand of 58 runs in just 6 overs. The momentum continued with Nicholas Pooran (36 off 22) and Rovman Powell (25) keeping the scoreboard ticking. However, the turning point came in the 19th over when Tim Southee dismissed Pooran with a slower delivery, followed by a tight final over from Adam Milne, who gave away just 4 runs.
West Indies ended at 162/8, falling just 3 runs short of the target. The home crowd was left stunned as the team couldn’t find the boundary when it mattered most.
Adam Milne was named the Player of the Match for his brilliant death-over bowling, finishing with figures of 3/27. The New Zealand bowlers showed composure under pressure, while the West Indies middle order faltered in the closing stages.
The result means the series is now level at 1–1, setting up a thrilling decider in the third and final T20I, which promises to be an exciting battle between two evenly matched teams.
