The West Indies clinched a crucial 13-run victory over New Zealand in their second T20 World Cup 2024 match.
The team set a challenging target of 149 runs, which New Zealand failed to meet. In their allotted 20 overs, they managed only 136 runs for nine wickets.
Alzarri Joseph and Gudakesh Motie were instrumental in the win, taking four and three wickets, respectively. Their bowling performance solidified the West Indies’ second victory in the tournament.
Earlier, Sherfane Rutherford played a pivotal role, scoring an unbeaten 68 off 39 balls, including two fours and six sixes. His performance rescued the West Indies after a shaky start, lifting them from 30 for five in the seventh over to 149 for nine.
The New Zealand batsmen struggled to build momentum throughout their innings. Regular wicket losses hampered their efforts to chase down the target.
Glenn Phillips provided a brief challenge with 40 runs off 33 balls. However, his dismissal by Joseph in the 18th over effectively ended the contest despite Mitchell Santner’s late efforts, which included three sixes off Romario Shepherd in the final over.
This defeat complicates New Zealand’s chances of advancing beyond the group stage. They now must win their remaining two matches by significant margins and depend on other results to qualify for the Super 8.
New Zealand faces elimination if Afghanistan defeats Papua New Guinea in their upcoming match.
Ane Rutherford, Andre Russell, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie.
