NEW DELHI:
New Zealand
's hopes of advancing to the
Super Eight stage
in the ongoing
T20 World Cup
were in jeopardy after a 13-run defeat against the West Indies in Trinidad on Thursday. The co-hosts, who have now won their first three matches, became the fourth team to qualify for the next round.
The other three teams already qualified for the Super Eights are - India, Australia and South Africa.
As it happened: West Indies vs New Zealand
Batting first, the West Indies found themselves in a precarious position at 30 for five in the seventh over. However,
Sherfane Rutherford
's scintillating unbeaten 68 off just 39 deliveries, which included two fours and six sixes, propelled the home side to a respectable total of 149 for nine.
T20 World Cup Schedule | Points Table
In response, the Black Caps, who were thrashed by Afghanistan in their opening match, struggled to gain any momentum in their chase. The Kiwis were restricted to 136 for nine, with only Glenn Phillips (40 off 33 balls) posing any significant threat to the West Indies' bowling attack.
The West Indies' bowlers were instrumental in securing the victory, with pacer
Alzarri Joseph
claiming four wickets for 19 runs, while spinners
Gudakesh Motie
and
Akeal Hosein
picked up three and one wickets, respectively.
Despite Mitchell Santner's late heroics, smashing three sixes off Romario Shepherd in the final over, the match was effectively over as a contest when Phillips fell to Joseph in the 18th over.
The defeat leaves New Zealand's fate hanging by a thread, with their elimination from the tournament confirmed if Afghanistan defeat Papua New Guinea on Friday. The West Indies, on the other hand, have clinched their place in the Super Eight phase with one group match still to come against Afghanistan on Monday in St Lucia.
English (US) ·