New Zealand beat West Indies in first T20I: Records broken
New Zealand fought their way back to stun West Indies in the first T20I to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. In a rain-hit game, Windies scored 180/7 after the match was reduced to 16 overs. WI skipper Kieron Pollard scored an unbeaten 75. New Zealand were set a revised target of 176 (DLS method). Jimmy Neesham's efforts helped them win (179/5).
WI started well as the openers amassed 58 runs for the first wicket. However, from there on, they were reduced to 59/5 in no time. Pollard and Fabian Allen added 84 runs for the sixth wicket. For NZ, pacer Lockie Ferguson claimed a fifer (5/21). In reply, NZ were reduced to 63/4, before Devon Conway, Neesham and Mitchell Santner powered them to victory.
Pollard has raced to 1,198 career T20I runs at 24.95. The West Indian captain registered his highest T20I score (75*). This was his fifth T20I fifty. Pollard, who slammed eight sixes in the game, has raced to 74 career maximums. The big-hitting batsman went past Yuvraj Singh (1,177) and Lendl Simmons (1,189) in terms of T20I runs.
NZ fast bowler Lockie Ferguson was superb for the Black Caps after claiming a fifer. He became just the second Kiwi bowler to take a fifer in T20Is. The right-arm pacer has raced to 19 T20I scalps from nine games. Meanwhile, skipper Tim Southee (2/22) now has 80 T20I scalps. He became just the seventh bowler with 80-plus wickets in T20Is.
New Zealand's veteran middle order batsman Ross Taylor registered his sixth career T20I duck. The hard-hitting Neesham brought up his highest score in T20Is. Windies pacer Keemo Paul (0/39) bowled five no balls.
