betvisa cricketWest Indies survive Mitchell Santner scare to register a thrilling win over New Zealand in the first T20I

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Shai Hope sizzles in West Indies’ respectable total
Mitchell Santner’s late fireworks not enough for New Zealand

The West Indies held their nerve to clinch a hard-fought seven-run victory over New Zealand in the first T20I of the West Indies tour of New Zealand 2025 at Eden Park, Auckland. After being asked to bat first, the visitors posted a competitive total before the hosts came agonizingly close but fell short of 7 runs.

Shai Hope sizzles in West Indies’ respectable total

West Indies posted a respectable total of 164/6 in their 20 overs, thanks to a composed half-century from Shai Hope and useful contributions from the middle order. Despite losing Brandon King (3) early, the West Indies found stability through Hope’s calm and calculated approach. The wicketkeeper-batter crafted a fluent 53 off 39 balls, laced with four fours and three sixes, anchoring the innings through the middle overs. Alick Athanaze provided an explosive start with a quick 16 off 9, while Roston Chase (28 off 27) and skipper Rovman Powell (33 off 23) added crucial runs to propel the total past 160.

New Zealand’s bowlers had mixed fortunes on the night. Jacob Duffy stood out with excellent figures of 2 for 19, keeping the scoring in check during the powerplay. Youngster Zakary Foulkes also impressed, taking 2 for 35, while James Neesham and Kyle Jamieson chipped in with one wicket apiece. However, the lack of control from the spinners allowed West Indies to finish strongly, with Powell and Shepherd adding valuable runs in the final overs.

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Mitchell Santner’s late fireworks not enough for New Zealand

Chasing 165, New Zealand never quite found rhythm with the bat as wickets fell at regular intervals. Opener Tim Robinson played positively for his 27 off 21, and Rachin Ravindra (21 off 19) tried to rebuild the innings, but the hosts kept losing momentum in the middle overs. The experienced Mitchell Santner, batting at No. 8, launched a stunning counterattack with a blistering 55 off 28 deliveries, featuring eight fours and two sixes, nearly pulling off an unlikely win for New Zealand.

However, the West Indies bowlers maintained composure in the death overs to seal the win. Jayden Seales led the attack with 3 for 32, using pace and bounce effectively. Chase complemented him brilliantly with 3 for 26 using his variations to choke the middle overs. Matthew Forde, Romario Shepherd, and Akeal Hosein chipped in with crucial wickets, ensuring that New Zealand fell short at 157/9 despite Santner’s late heroics.