T20 World Cup: West Indies cruise past New Zealand by 13 runs to reach Super 8 stages

West Indies have joined South Africa, Australia, and India to become to the fourth team to qualify for the Super-8 phase of the T20 World Cup. New Zealand who began the tournament with a huge loss to Afghanistan now stand on the cusp of elimination from the tournament. 

It was New Zealand who won the toss and chose to bowl first and made three changes to their team. Tim Southee, James Neesham, and Rachin Ravindra came in for Matt Henry, Mark Chapman, and Michael Bracewell. The home side went in unchanged after their huge win against Uganda. 

Sherfane Rutherford and Alzarri Joseph were the heroes for the home team with the bat and ball. New Zealand will now have to beat Uganda and Papua New Guinea by huge margins and hope that Afghanistan loses both their games in a bid to make it to the Super 8’s. 

West Indies reach Super 8 Stages with commanding win 

Put into bat first, Johnson Charles continued his bad form in the T20 World Cup when he was bowled by Trent Boult for a duck. Tim Southee then got the big wicket of Nicholas Pooran for 17. 

Roston Chase and Rovman Powell fell to Lockie Ferguson and Tim Southee to make it 22/4. The wicket of Brandon King for 9 soon made it 30/5 with the home side in huge trouble. Sherfane Rutherford stood like a rock at one end as he batted patiently to begin with but then decided to open his shoulders. 

The left-handed batter hit Mitchell Santner for 18 runs in the final over to help West Indies post 149 on the board. Rutherford hit his career best score of 68 not out which came off 39 balls with 2 fours and 6 sixes. 

Needing 150 to win, New Zealand got off to a good start as Devon Conway and Finn Allen added 20 for the 1st wicket. Akeal Hossein got the first wicket when he had Devon Conway out for 5. Alzarri Joseph struck next when he had the wicket of Finn Allen for 26 in the 6th over. 

Gudakesh Motie then struck two big blows as he dismissed Kane Williamson for 1 and Rachin Ravindra for 10. Glenn Phillips tried his best with the bat as he scored 40 off 33 balls while Mitchell Santner was not out on 21 off 12 balls. Pacer Alzarri Joseph was the best bowler with figures of 4/19 to hand West Indies the win by 13 runs.