West Indies tour of New Zealand 2020, 3-match T20I series, First T20I, New Zealand vs West Indies - New Zealand won by 5 wickets
Friday, Nov 27, 2020, Eden Park, Auckland
Visitors West Indies, after asked to bat first, started superbly with opener Andre Fletcher (34 off 14) going for his shots. Openers got them off to a flier adding 58 runs for the first wicket. But Windies only went downwards after the departure of Fletcher in the fourth over. From 58/0, they went down to 59/5 - Five wickets scoring just a run!!! Lockie Ferguson bagged three of them while Tim Southee bagged the other two wickets.
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| Image Credits: ESPN Cricinfo (via Getty Images) |
Ferguson went on to pick two more wickets registering his maiden five-for as Windies got a mammoth total of 180/7 in 16 overs. Rain made multiple interruptions during the course of the first innings and the game was curtailed to 16 overs aside. In the midst of all this drama, captain Kieron Pollard scored an unbeaten 75* off just 37 deliveries (4 fours, 8 sixes) to help Windies get to this massive total.
During the chase, debutant Devon Conway gave them a good start with a 29-ball 41 (5 fours and a six). Glenn Phillips played a cameo during the middle overs scoring 22 runs off just 7 deliveries which included a four and 3 sixes. All-rounders James Neesham (48* off 24) and Mitchell Santner (31* off 18) remained unbeaten to take them home with five wickets in hand and 4 deliveries to spare in their innings.
Lockie Ferguson bagged the 'Player of the Match' for his brilliant spell with the ball. With this victory, New Zealand go 1-0 up in the three-match T20I series. The second T20I of the series will be played at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Sunday (Nov 29).
Brief Scores: New Zealand - 179/5 in 15.2 overs (James Neesham - 48*, Devon Conway - 41, Oshane Thomas - 2/23, Kieron Pollard - 1/16) defeated West Indies - 180/7 in 20 overs (Kieron Pollard - 75*, Andre Fletcher - 34, Lockie Ferguson - 5/21, Tim Southee - 2/22) by a margin of 5 wickets
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