West Indies sealed their place in the Super 8 stages of the 2024 T20 World Cup following a clinical win over New Zealand in front of a capacity crowd in Trinidad. West Indies stuttered with the bat for the major part of their innings before a Sherfane Rutherford special guided them to a fighting total of 149. New Zealand, already under the pump, couldn’t do enough with the bat as they fell short by 13 runs.
Where was the game won?
At the death with the bat for West Indies. Their innings just wasn’t progressing anywhere as New Zealand appeared to roar back in style after that heavy defeat at the hands of Afghanistan. However, Rutherford turned on the heat in the final few overs to completely rattle New Zealand. Rutherford dealt in sixes and was the lone man fighting for the home side as he smashed an unbeaten 68 that was clearly the difference between the two sides. Except for Glenn Phillips, no other batter in either team managed to cross even half of what Rutherford made.
West Indies
Powerplay: A disastrous start
Phase Score: 23/4 (RR: 5.75, 4s/6s: 3/0)
Trent Boult struck again in the first over of an innings. He has done it so often in his career but this time he didn’t have to produce anything special as Johnson Charles got a thick edge as the ball crashed into the stumps. Nicholas Pooran tried to take full toll of the fielding restrictions but Tim Southee, coming back into the XI, prized him out with a short ball and caused more damage by getting rid of skipper Rovman Powell. Sandwiched between these two dismissals, Roston Chase mistimed one off Lockie Ferguson as the under-pressure NZ unit made a great start to the game.
Middle overs: NZ remain in control
Phase Score: 68/3 (RR: 7.55, 4s/6s – 2/5)
The returning James Neesham struck for New Zealand as the West Indies were reduced to 30/5. Akeal Hosein tried to break the shackles with a six but West Indies could muster only 49 at the halfway mark. Even Andre Russell’s brief cameo didn’t help matters as New Zealand brought back Boult to get rid of the big-hitting allrounder. Rutherford was only dealing in sixes at that point but the home team still needed something special from him in the final five overs to help them post a respectable total
Death overs – A one-man show
Phase Score: 58/2 (RR: 11.6, 4s/6s – 3/5)
From 30/5, West Indies managed to set New Zealand a challenging target of 150 all because of one man. Rutherford took matters into his own hands at the death, farming most of the strike and smashing boundaries. With Boult, Southee and Ferguson bowling out before the 18th over, Kane Williamson turned to Daryl Mitchell and Mitchell Santner to finish the innings and Rutherford took full of that scenario to hammer 37 runs.
New Zealand
Powerplay: A stuttering start
Phase score: 36/2 (RR: 6, 4s/6s – 3/1)
Any start compared to the one West Indies made would look better on the night. However, New Zealand would have wanted a better show up front after that Rutherford assault. Finn Allen got off to a positive start with a four and a six but Devon Conway’s decision to sweep on an uneven surface cost him his wicket. Alzarri Joseph then came into the attack in the final over of the powerplay and dismissed Allen with a short ball, much to the relief of the home crowd.
Middle overs: Hopes on Phillips as New Zealand cave in
Phase Score: 49/3 (RR: 5.44, 4s/6s – 1/2)
Gudakesh Motie came in after the powerplay and struck thrice that left New Zealand in tatters. Kane Williamson first got a thick outside edge while attempting a cut and Rachin Ravindra hit one straight to deep midwicket. Motie made it three wickets in three overs when he delivered one wide of the crease that turned away from the batter after pitching to crash into stumps. At 63/5, New Zealand’s campaign was definitely sinking.
Death overs: Not enough in the tank
Phase Score: 51/4 (RR: 10.2, 4s/6s – 3/5)
New Zealand needed to find a Rutherford of their own to hunt this down at the death. Phillips was definitely the man they were banking on but losing Neesham off the first ball of the 16th over didn’t help matters. While Phillips did nail a few boundaries off Russell and Joseph, New Zealand were always behind in the chase. Joseph then came up with the final nail in their coffin by picking two wickets in two balls, including that of Phillips to effectively end the chase. He finished with figures of 4 for 19. Needing 33 in the final over, Santner did provide a brief scare by smashing the first two balls for sixes but Romario Shepherd managed to pull things back.
Brief scores: West Indies 149/9 in 20 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 68*; Trent Boult 3/16, Tim Southee 2/21) beat New Zealand 136/9 in 20 overs (Glenn Phillips 40; Alzarri Joseph 4/19) by 13 runs
What’s next?
New Zealand will be back in the same venue to take on Uganda in their next game. They will fancy themselves to topple Uganda and PNG as well in their final group game. It’s unlikely to be enough as a win for Afghanistan tomorrow against PNG will send them crashing out. As far as the West Indies are concerned, they will be up against Afghanistan in their final group game.
© Cricbuzz
