1st T20I: Mitchell Santner's heroics against WI go in vain
What's the story
West Indies defeated New Zealand by seven runs in a nail-biting finish in the 1st T20I at Auckland's Eden Park on Wednesday. The match was highlighted by Mitchell Santner's explosive performance, who scored an unbeaten 55 off just 28 balls. However, his efforts were not enough to secure victory for the hosts. The Kiwis failed to chase down 165 in 20 overs.
Match details
How did the match pan out?
Batting first, West Indies struggled on a pitch that offered variable bounce and pace. Captain Shai Hope found it difficult to get going, but Rovman Powell's late assault helped them post a total of 164/6. In response, New Zealand started well through Tim Robinson but lost momentum after his dismissal. Akeal Hosein's introduction triggered a collapse as NZ struggled against the West Indies bowlers.
Showdown
Santner's heroics nearly steal the show
New Zealand, who were nine down (109/9), required 56 runs in the last four overs. Just when it looked like the match was in control, Santner stunned the Windies with a counter-attack, scoring 23 runs in the 18th over and 13 in the next. However, Romario Shepherd's composure under pressure ensured West Indies won the thriller. He defended 20 runs in the final over. And Santner finished unbeaten on 55 off 28 balls (8 fours and 2 sixes).
Feats
Santner attains these feats
According to Cricbuzz, Santner now has the third-highest score from No. 8 or lower in T20I cricket (Full Member teams). He is only behind Isuru Udana (84* vs SA, 2019) and Iftikhar Ahmed (60 vs NZ, 2023). Santner is also the second captain with a 50-plus score from No. 8 or lower in Men's T20Is, joining Sierra Leone's Lansana Lamin (52* vs Eswatini, 2024).
Information
Santner slams his second T20I fifty
According to ESPNcricinfo, Santner scored his second half-century in T20I cricket. The lower middle-order batter has slammed 826 runs from 116 matches at a strike rate of 126.10. His average reads 18.35.