New Zealand vs West Indies, AFG in ZIM, 3 T20Is, 2025 Nov 9 Full score card

OUT! TAKEN! Kyle Jamieson has done it once again for the Kiwis! Two games in a row, he has held his nerve in the last over. He bowls a low full toss, on middle. Romario Shepherd stays deep to slog it away but gets more height than distance on this one. The ball flies high in the air towards long off, where Daryl Mitchell settles under it and reverse cups it safely into his hands. NEW ZEALAND WIN BY 9 RUNS!

A precious dot! Kyle Jamieson bowls a well-directed bouncer, on middle, Romario Shepherd gets a bit surprised by it and misses his pull shot. He needs to hit a couple of sixes now, or a six and a four will do as well.

Back of a length and on mide, Akeal Hosein miscues his pull just over the bowler's head towards the mid on region for a run. 10 needed in 3 now

11 more needed off the last 4 balls. Akeal Hosein is no mug with the bat either.

Full and on middle, Romario Shepherd lofts it towards long on and looks for two but has to settle for one. 11 needed in 4 now.

Good length but angling down the leg side, Romario Shepherd tries to whip it away but misses as the ball just goes past his pads, but inside the new guideline. No wide given.

Akeal Hosein walks out last to bat for West Indies. What a nail-biter this has turned out to be. The visitors need 12 off the last 6 balls and New Zealand just have to take one wicket.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Another twist in the tale! This is a stunning return catch. Jacob Duffy bowls it full and on off, Shamar Springer absolutely drills it down the pitch but just a bit above the ground. Duffy stops a bit on his follow-through, gets both his hands to the left, and grabs a brilliant catch with the ball traveling at the speed of light towards him. Springer falls for a fine 39 off 20. Windies need 12 runs in the last over, and the Kiwis need just one wicket!

Will Shamar Springer look to take on Duffy or will he just look to see out this delivery?

Fuller and outisde off, Romario Shepherd throws the kitchen sink at it and drags it to deep mid-wicke for one.

13 needed off the last 8 balls.

Misses out there! Short and around leg, Romario Shepherd gets across to hook it away but fails to get any bat on that. That should have been put away.

FOUR! A boundary now! 13 needed in 9 balls! Short of a length and outside off, Romario Shepherd knows that there is no protection in the deep and slaps it over short third for a boundary.

WOW! What are we witnessing here in Saxton Oval. Just 17 more needed off the last 10.

SIX! Oh..my word! That has got wings to it! Jacob Duffy misses his length and serves this in the slot, on middle. Romario Shepherd stays deep inside his crease, gets under it and absolutely launches it over the bowler's head for half a dozen more. That has gone out of the stadium here.

Fuller and on off, Shamar Springer drlls it to sweeper cover for a single.

SIX! Put away! A slower bouncer but around leg, Romario Shepherd gets inside the line of it and hooks it over the fine leg fence for a biggie. 24 needed in 12 now! We are in for another nail-biting finish in this series.

Nicely bowled! Bangs in a sharp bouncer, on off, Romario Shepherd gets hurried and misses out on his pull shot.

In the air...SAFE! Short of a length and on middle, Romario Shepherd looks to pull it away but gets a top edge. The ball goes high in the air as Neesham runs after it, and two fielders from the deep also come in, but the ball lands between all of them. Two taken.

Good length and on off, Shamar Springer steers it to short third for a single.

SIX! Shamar Springer is playing a blinder here! A slower one, full and outside off, Springer gets deceived by the lack of pace but still goes through the lofted shot. He gets enough for it to go well over mid off and lands just on the cushions for a six. Santner puts in a valiant slide and collides with the advertisement boards, but he seems fine.

FOUR! Up and over! A half-volley around off, with mid off up in the circle. Shamar Springer backs away a bit and lifts it over extra cover for a boundary.

A couple of dots to end the over! This is a slower yorker, on off, Romario Shepherd goes through his slog early as the ball goes under his bat.

Good bowling! Bangs in a quick bouncer, on off, takes off sharply, Romario Shepherd winds up for the slog but gets surprised and lets it go in the end.

On a length and on off, Shamar Springer guides it to short third for one.

FOUR! TWO IN TWO! West Indies are still alive in this game! Pitched up and on middle, Shamar Springer presents the full face of the bat and lofts it over the bowler's head for another boundary. 44 needed in 21 balls now!

EDGED AND FOUR! Short of a length and outside off, width on offer. Shamar Springer slashes at it but gets an outside edge that flies towards the third man fence for a boundary.

Swing and a miss! Back of a length and around off, gets some extra bounce, Shamar Springer tries to cut it away but misses.

Shortish and on middle, Shamar Springer clips it towards square leg for one. 52 runs needed 24 balls now!

Quicker, full and on leg, Romario Shepherd fails to paddle it away as the ball goes off his pads towards short fine. A leg bye taken.

Goes short and around off, Shamar Springer cuts it through point for a run.

SIX! That is outta here! Tossed up, full and on middle, Shamar Springer goes down on one knee and absolutely smokes it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie. Lands on the roof over the stands there.

Flatter, short and on middle, Shamar Springer pats it back to the bowler.

WIDE! Slows it up, full but way outisde off, Shamar Springer leaves it alone. Wided.

Floated, full and on middle, Romario Shepherd lofts it towards long on for a single.

Good length on off, Romario Shepherd punches this long off for a single.

FOUR! Good length wide of off, Romario Shepherd jumps down the track and gives it a mighty heave. Gets it sliced behind backward point for a boundary.

SIX! HIGH AND HANDSOME! Pace off, around middle and leg, Romario Shepherd flicks this up and over the deep square leg fielder for a biggie. West Indies will need a lot more of these from Romario Shepherd.

WIDE! On a length wide down the leg, Romario Shepherd misses out on the flick. Wided.

Bumper, down the leg, Romario Shepherd gets inside the line to hook it away but misses out.

BYE! Slow and wide of off, Shamar Springer swings before the ball arrives and misses out. Mitchell Hay fails to gather this as well and the batters run a bye.

Hard length, on middle and off, Romario Shepherd slogs this on the bounce to deep mid-wicket for one.

Low and full on middle and leg, Romario Shepherd flicks this to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Floated around middle and leg, Shamar Springer rolls this to long on for one.

Darted around the pads of the batter. Romario Shepherd pushes this to long on for one.

Pushed through on off, Shamar hits this to sweeper cover for one.

Short and wide of off, Romario Shepherd cuts this to Devon Conway at sweeper cover for one.

Floated around off, Shamar Springer punches this to sweeper cover for a single.

Pushed through around off, Shamar Springer drives this through cover for one.

Fuller on off, Shamar Springer pushes this to point.

SIX! That's some start for Shamar Springer. Tossed up, on middle and leg, Shamar Springer goes down on a knee and slog sweeps this up and over the fence towards the deep mid-wicket region for a huge six.

Shamar Springer comes out to the middle now.

OUT! LBW! Googly, on middle and off, Matthew Forde steps across and looks to use the free space around the fine leg region. Fails to read the googly and pays the price for it. As the ball struck the pads of Forde, Ish and the Kiwi players were appealing for LBW but the umpire turned it down. Mitchell Santner sent this upstairs, and three reds with the ball crashing into the leg stump on the Ball Tracker give New Zealand the wicket of Matthew Forde.

Pushed through on off, Matthew Forde blocks this one.

Darted into the batter, Romario Shepherd flicks this through mid-wicket for one.

FOUR! Cheeky from Forde. Fired into the batter, around his pads. Matthew Forde goes down on a knee, plants his front foot across the line of it and ramps this past the right of short fine leg for a boundary.

Fuller on middle and off, Matthew Forde blocks.

Drifting one in, on off, turning it away. Matthew Forde pokes at it but gets beaten.

Matthew Forde walks out to bat now.

OUT! CAUGHT! West Indies are in massive trouble with the dismissal of Jason Holder. Tossed up, wide of off, Jason Holder goes down on a knee and slog sweeps it straight into the hands of Tim Robinson at the deep mid-wicket fence. Jason Holder did not get it away from the middle of the bat, instead, this was hit from the bottom half of his bat.

Stock delivery, on middle and off. Romario Shepherd punches this to sweeper cover for one.

Under-cutter from Mitchell Santner, into the batter. Jason Holder flicks this off his back foot to deep mid-wicket for one.

On a length around off, Romario Shepherd drives this to cover for no run.

Good length on middle and off, Jason Holder guides this to the third man region for one.

Good length, wide of off, Romario Shepherd swings at it, gets an outside edge towards deep third for one.

On a length around off, Romario Shepherd blocks it.

Short and wide of off, Romario Shepherd pushes this to point.

FOUR! Back of a length onto the pads, Romario Shepherd hops up on his toes and flicks this through the gap between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

DRINKS! The West Indies are struggling, needing a big push from Holder and Romario Shepherd to turn the chase around. Can they pull off a stunning comeback, or will the Kiwis wrap up the win? Let's see.

Arm ball, full and on middle, angling in, Jason Holder knocks it down the pitch.

Flighted, full and on off, Romario Shepherd drives it to long off for one.

FOUR! Streaky! Flatter, short and outside off, Romario Shepherd tries to cut it away but gets a thin outisde edge that runs down to the third man fence for a boundary.

Short and on middle, Jason Holder nudges it to mid-wicket for a run.

Floated, full and on middle, Romario Shepherd sweeps it to deep square leg for a single.

A shout for LBW, but turned down! Flatter, short and on middle, angling in, Romario Shepherd stays backto flick it away but misses and gets hit on the pads. Going down the leg side this one.

Romario Shepherd walks out next.

OUT! AUGUSTE IS RUN OUT! Not sure what is happening with West Indies at the moment here. Ish Sodhi drags his length back and on off, Jason Holder pats it wide of short mid-wicket. The batters set off for the run, but Mitchell Santner dives to his left to make a fine stop. Seeing this, Holder sends his partner back. Santner fires in a one-bounce throw at the bowler's end, where Sodhi collects it with his right hand and breaks the stumps, with Ackeem Auguste not really making that much of an effort to drag his bat in or put in a dive. Very casual from him and that has cost him as the replay shows he is short of his crease. The Windies are six down now, needing 110 runs in 66 balls.

Jason Holder walks out next.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Ish Sodhi gets a huge wicket here! No fireworks from Rovman Powell in this game, and West Indies slip further down here. This is a wrong'un, full and on middle, turns in a bit. Powell goes down for the big slog sweep but plays all over it as the ball goes through to rattle the stumps here. Powell hangs his head down in disappointment as he knows he has made a critical error here. West Indies have slipped from 53/2 to 68/5 now!

WIDE! Fires one full but down the leg side, Rovman Powell fails to get any bat on it. Wided.

Goes short and outside off, Rovman Powell cuts it away towards deep point for a couple of runs.

Slows it up, shortish and on off, Rovman Powell pats it in front of point.

A bit short and on middle, Ackeem Auguste flicks it through mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! Fine shot! Flighted, full and outside off, Ackeem Auguste goes inside out, extends his amrs to reach out and smacks it over extra cover for a boundary.

Rovman Powell walks out next.

OUT! TAKEN! Michael Bracewell strikes now! Sherfane Rutherford's struggles with the bat continue. This is slower through the air, full and around off, turns away a bit. Rutherford goes down and stretches out for it but only manages to get a top edge towards short third, where Ish Sodhi takes an easy catch this time. Windies are four down now!

Flatter, full and on off, Sherfane Rutherford pushes it to cover.

Just short! Flighted, full and outside off, Ackeem Auguste uses his feet and tries to loft it away but gets a top edge. Ish Sodhi from short third runs forward and dives but just fails to reach it. They cross.

Short and on leg, Ackeem Auguste clips it to mid-wicket.

Almost a wicket! Tossed up, full and on off, Ackeem Auguste comes down the track to push it away but just gets an inside edge behind. It just goes past Devon Conway to his left, or else it would have been an easy stumping. Two taken.

Floated, full and on off, Sherfane Rutherford works it off he inner half of the bat through square leg for a single.

Flatter, full and on leg, Ackeem Auguste clips it away wide of deep mid-wicket for a brace.

Flighted, full and on off, Sherfane Rutherford taps it towards covers for a single.

Sherfane Rutherford walks out next.

OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Ish Sodhi gets his man this time! He bowls the googly. short and outisde off, turns it away a bit. Alick Athanaze moves back and slashes hard and away from his body. Gets a slight bottom edge behind, where Devon Conway takes a sharp catch. There is a big shout for caught behind, and up goes the finger. Athanaze takes the review as he thinks the sound is from his chain hitting the grill of the helmet. However, UltraEdge shows a clear spike when the ball is close to the bat. Alick has to walk back for 31 off 23, and West Indies are 53/3!

SIX! Salt to the wounds! Tossed up, full and on middle, Alick Athanaze goes down on one knee and nails the slog sweep over the deep square leg fence for a biggie.

DROPPED! A good effort though! Slows it up, full and on middle, Alick Athanaze gets drawn forward and ends up chipping it back to the bowler. Sodhi dives to his left to grab it with his left hand but just spills it out.

WIDE! Fires one full and down the leg side, Alick Athanaze fails to paddle it away. Wided.

Floated, full and on off, Alick Athanaze goes down across to swipe it away but misses and gets hit on the pads.

EDGED AND FOUR! Jacob Duffy bangs in a quick bouncer, on middle. Ackeem Auguste gets late on his pull shot but gets a top edge that flies over the keeper's head for a boundary. West Indies are 46/2 at the end of the Powerplay!

Back of a length and on middle, Alick Athanaze pulls it to deep square leg for a single.

Short of a length and just outside off, Alick Athanaze tries to cut it away but chops it down to the off side.

BEATEN! Hits the length hard and just around off, angles away with extra bounce, Alick Athanaze has a poke at it but gets beaten on the outside edge.

Goes fuller and on off, Alick Athanaze drives it straight to cover.

FOUR! Sloppy fielding! Good length and around off, Alick Athanaze lets it come to him, uses the pace and steers it away through point. The fielder in the deep runs to his right and dives but rolls over the ball and lets it through for a boundary.

Fuller on off, Ackeem Auguste drives this to the left of cover for no run.

Tossed up on middle and off, Ackeem Auguste hits this straight to the fielder.

Quicker one, on middle and leg, Ackeem Auguste flicks this through mid-wicket and runs a couple.

Fuller on off, Ackeem Auguste blocks.

Wrong'un from Sodhi, around off, Ackeem Auguste rises up with the bounce and looks to flick this on the leg side but misses out. The keeper collects this and appeals for a caught behind but the umpire turns it down. Mitchell Santner sends this upstairs. Nothing on the UltraEdge as the ball passes the bat and New Zealand loses a review.

SIX! Massive hit for six. Tossed up on middle and leg, Ackeem Auguste goes down on a knee and slog sweeps this right from the middle of his bat. Clears the deep mid-wicket fence with ease and deposits this far into the grass banks for a biggie.

Spin from both ends. Ish Sodhi to bowl some leggies now.

Pushed through on middle and leg, Alick Athanaze blocks.

Quicker and fuller on off, Alick Athanaze rolls this to mid on for no run.

Darted into the batter, Ackeem Auguste flicks this to mid-wicket for one.

DROPPED! Lifeline for Alick Athanaze on 19 from Kyle Jamieson. Flighted, wide of off, turning away after pitching. Alick Athanaze goes down on a knee and looks to slog sweep this. The ball spins away after pitching and that was enough to catch the top edge of Alick. The ball hung high over Kyle Jamieson at short third to his right but the big fellow was probably still thinking off the previous over he bowled and fails to gather this. A single taken.

Length dragged back from Michael Bracewell, on off. Ackeem Auguste blocks off his back foot.

Floated on off, Ackeem Auguste punches this to long off for one.

Time for some spin now as Michael Bracewell replaces Jacob Duffy.

Good length on middle and off, Alick Athanaze slogs this to the right of deep square for one.

FOUR! That's really poor from Kyle now, as he is bowling all over the deck. On a good length, way down the leg. Alick Athanaze flicks this over short fine leg for a boundary more. All Alick needed here was to find the gap an he did that with ease.

On a length, wide of off, Alick Athanaze steps inside and looks to slog but misses out.

FOUR! Back of a length around off, Alick Athanaze jumps to the pitch of the ball anc punches this crisply through the gap between cover and point for a boundary. Alick Athanaze moves to 13.

WIDE! JINXED! Kyle Jamieson errs in line and bowls one way down the leg. Wided.

Kyle Jamieson looks like a different bowler when he is bowling from round the wicket to a left-hander. Good length, around off, shaping away after pitching. Alick Athanaze looks to tentatively poke at it but gets beaten.

WOAH! Alick continues to show his aggressive side. On a length, around off, shaping away from the batter. Alick Athanaze shimmies down the track and swings at it but misses out.

Good length, on middle and off. Ackeem Auguste blocks.

Ackeem Auguste comes out to the middle now.

OUT! CAUGHT! Double delight for Duffy in his first over. Short-pitched, around middle and off, Shai Hope surprisingly takes his eyes off it and just flicks this instead of bringing out the pull. Ends up hitting it into the wind and straight to Tim Robinson at long leg for a soft dismissal. Hope falls cheaply here. New Zealand comes back with a couple of wickets after a strong start from West Indies.

On a length around the pads, Alick Athanaze flicks this through square leg for one.

Length again around off, Shai Hope pushes this to mid off and takes one as the fielder fails to field this cleanly.

On a length around off, shaping away from the right-hander. Shai Hope shoulders his arms at it.

Shai Hope walks out to bat at number 3.

OUT! CASTLED! Kyle Jamieson was taking everything away in the first over. Jacob Duffy comes in and bowls an inswinging length delivery and gets Amir Jangoo to chop this back onto his stumps for his dismissal. Success for Duffy straightaway. On a length, around off, shaping back into the batter, Amir Jangoo stays on his back foot and looks to cut this but the ball swings in, gets an inside edge and rattles the timber. West Indies are 13/1, chasing 178!

Jacob Duffy to share the attack.

FOUR! Third boundary of the over and WI are off to a flying start. On a length around the pads, Alick Athanaze stays leg side to it and flicks this through the short fine leg region for a boundary. 13 off the first over.

Good length, angling away after pitching, Alick Athanaze blocks.

FOUR! Alick Athanaze is up and running with a boundary as well but not without skipping a heartbeat. Short and wide of off, Alick Athanaze chases this and throws his bat at it. Gets an outside edge between the left of first slip and the right of short third fielder for a boundary.

Short pitched on middle and off, Amir Jangoo pulls this to deep square leg for one.

BEAUTY! Good length, pitching in middle and off, and shaping away from the left-hander. Amir Jangoo looks to get behind the line and block but the ball moves away after pitching and beats the batter.

FOUR! A boundary to kickstart the chase from Amir Jangoo. Good length, down the leg, Amir Jangoo gets inside the line and just tickles this to the right of the keeper for a boundary first up in the chase.

A couple to end the innings as New Zealand post 177. On a length around off, Jacob Duffy smashes this to long off and takes two.

Jacob Duffy is the last man in.

OUT! KYLE JAMIESON IS RUN OUT! Well-o-well, third run out of the innings but this was more of a sacrifice for the team. On a length around middle and leg, Kyle Jamieson flicks this to deep mid-wicket and takes the first aggressively but just half-stops on the turn for the second. Matthew Forde runs in from the fence and throws it over the stumps at the striker's end. Shai Hope gathers the ball and removes the bails with Kyle Jamieson short of his crease.

WIDE! Slower bumper, over the batter on off, Ish Sodhi swings and misses. The ball drops short of Shai Hope, who fails to gather it and the batters take a single.

On a length wide of off, Ish Sodhi swings and misses.

Short and wide of off, Kyle Jamieson smashes this to long on for one.

Good length on middle and leg, Ish Sodhi flicks this through mid on for one.

On a length around off, Kyle Jamieson edges this off the inside towards short fine leg for one.

Ish Sodhi comes out to the middle now. Can Shamar Springer keep the Kiwis under 180 here?

OUT! CAUGHT! What an excellent over from Jason Holder, just 3 runs and a couple of wickets in the penultimate over. Short and wide, slow again, forcing Daryl Mitchell to hit against the wind. Daryl Mitchell hops up on his toes and cuts this straight to Shamar Springer at the deep third for his dismissal. Holder brings on the dance moves. Mitchell walks back for a quick 41 off 24, and New Zealand are 169/8!

Bumper, on off, Kyle Jamieson pulls this flat to deep square leg for a single.

Kyle Jamieson walks out to bat now.

OUT! CAUGHT! Holder gets Hay. On a length, slower, wide of off. Mitchell Hay plays for the pace on and swings early. Hits the ball from the toe end of the bat and gets it spooned over towards long on. Rovman Powell runs forward, settles well underneath this and takes a good catch. The Kiwis are seven down now!

Yorker on leg, Daryl Mitchell flicks this to deep mid-wicket for one.

Holder comes around the wicket and fires a fuller one, on the pads. Daryl Mitchell misses out to flick this towards the leg side and gets hit on the pads.

Jason Holder bends his back and bowls a short one, into the batter, cramping him for any sort of room. Mitchell Hay mistimes the pull but luckily for him, lands this in the empty space at mid-wicket for one.

Jason Holder (3-0-28-0) to bowl the penultimate over.

SIX! MITCHELL GOES BIG! Pitched up, on off, Daryl Mitchell presents a full face of his bat, extends his elbows and lofts this in trademark Daryl Mitchell style for a biggie over the sight screen. Mitchell is such a pleasing sight for the cricket fans when on song.

On a length wide of off, Mitchell Hay guides this to deep third for one.

Mitchell Hay is the next man in.

OUT! CAUGHT! Tries the wide yorker does Shamar Springer, but bowls a low full toss, outside off, which gets him the wicket of the Kiwi skipper. Mitchell Santner looks to slice this over Ackeem Auguste at deep point, but fails to hit this from the middle of his bat and finds Auguste at the fence. Ackeem dives in front and holds onto a good take. New Zealand are 159/6!

Short pitched on off, Daryl Mitchell pulls this to deep square leg for one.

On a length around off, Daryl Mitchell smashes this powerfully to mid off for a dot.

FOUR! A misfield from Jason Holder converts a single into a boundary. On a length around middle and off, Daryl Mitchell thumps this straight to Holder at mid off but a laid back approach from Holder gets the ball to go past him and what should have been a single turns to a boundary.

Shamar Springer replaces Jason Holder.

FOUR! Santner gets into his act without wasting much time. On a length around middle and off, Mitchell Santner stays leg side to the pitch of it and lofts this up and over cover for a boundary.

A really sharp short one, going across the batter. Mitchell Santner leaves it.

Mitchell Santner comes out to the middle now.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! That's a really poor show from James Neesham as he misses out on a straight one and gets his stumps rattled. On a length, in the line of the stumps, it was there to be smashed but Neesham missed out. James Neesham clears his front foot from the line of it and looks to swing it over mid-wicket but misses out completely and the ball goes on to rattle the timber. The Kiwis lose half their side now.

Good length around off, Daryl Mitchell punches this to long off for a single. 150 up for New Zealand.

DROPPED! Neesham is dropped on 1 by Matthew Forde. Short and wide of off, James Neesham flat bats this to the left of the bowler. Matthew Forde gets both hands behind it but fails to close his palm in time and the ball pops out. Single taken.

On a length wide of off, angling away. James Neesham looks to loft this over cover but misses out.

Matthew Forde (3-0-14-1) is back on.

Back of a length around middle and leg, James Neesham pulls this flat to deep mid-wicket for one.

On a length around middle and off, Daryl Mitchell punches this through coevr for one this time.

Short and wide of off, Daryl Mitchell cuts this to the right of deep third and runs two on the fumble from the fielder.

James Neesham walks out to bat now.

OUT! Michael Bracewell is RUN OUT!. Low full toss on the pads, Daryl Mitchell flicks this to deep mid-wicket and calls for two straightaway. Rovman Powell runs in aggressively onto the ball from the deep and throws it flat and powerfully towards Jason Holder at the bowler's end. Michael Bracewell was slow to turn and that cost him his wicket as Jason Holder collected the throw on top of the stumps and removed the bails with Bracewell short of his crease. This was sent upstairs to confirm the run out, and the replay showed that Michael Bracewell was far out of his crease at the bowler's end when Holder removed the bails. New Zealand are 144/4!

On a length around middle and leg, Michael Bracewell smashes this down to long on for one.

Cutter around off, Michael Bracewell slashes hard at it but gets beaten.

SIX MORE! The Kiwis have teed off now! Flatter delivery, full and on middle, Daryl Mitchell gets his front foot out of the way and smokes it well over the deep mid-wicket fence for half a dozen more. 19 runs off the over, and Hosein finishes his spell wicketless, conceding 50 runs.

FOUR! Excellent shot! Arm ball, full and on middle, Daryl Mitchell once again comes down the track and smacks it over the bowler's head for a boundary.

SIX! Fine use of the feet! Tossed up, full and around off, Daryl Mitchell puts on the dancing shoes on and dispatches it over the sight screen for a biggie.

Flighted, full and on off, Michael Bracewell drives it to long off for another run.

Short again and on middle, Daryl Mitchell moves back and swats it to long on for a run.

Short and on leg, Michael Bracewell nudges it towards mid-wicket for a single.

A clever slower bouncer, outside off, Daryl Mitchell goes through his cut shot very early and fails to connect.

Back of a length and around off, Michael Bracewell cuts it away through point for one.

Good comeback! Short of a length and around off, angling away, Michael Bracewell slashes at it but misses.

FOUR! Lovely shot! Overpitched and just around off, Michael Bracewell leans onto his drive nicely and creams it through covers for a cracking boundary.

Fuller and on middle, Michael Bracewell drills it back past the bowler and wide of long on for a brace.

An appeal for LBW, but turned down! Hard length and on off, angling in a bit, Michael Bracewell fails to flick it away and gets his high on the pads. The heigh saves him here.

Back of a length and around off, Michael Bracewell cuts it to deep point for one more.

Full and on off, Daryl Mitchell drives it through covers for one.

Good length and on off, Daryl Mitchell pats it back to the bowler.

Michael Bracewell is the next man in.

OUT! CONWAY IS RUN OUT! A moment of brilliance in the field! Something special was needed to get rid of Devon Conway, and Alick Athanaze has provided it for the Windies. Shamar Springer serves this full and on middle, Daryl Mitchell clips it away towards deep mid-wicket and calls for the second. He stumbles a bit while turning, but Conway responds well. However, Alick Athanaze is very quick to get to the ball and fires in a throw at the bowler's end. The ball hits the top of the stumps and just clips the bails off. Conway's reaction tells that he is short of his crease here, and the replay confirms it as well. Conway falls for 56 off 34, and the Kiwis are three down now!

Short of a length and on middle, Devon Conway rolls his wrists and pulls it along the ground towards deep square leg for a run.

Back of a length and on off, Daryl Mitchell punches it through covers for a single.

Quicker, full and on middle, Daryl Mitchell tucks it towards mid-wicket for one.

Goes short and on off, Devon Conway punches it to long on for a single.

SIX! FIFTY FOR CONWAY! He gets to it with a bang as well. This is his 12th T20I half-century, and he needed this after a run of inconsistent scores. Flighted, full and around off. Devon Conway goes down on one knee and drags his slog sweep with the wind, which takes it over the deep mid-wicket fielder for a flat six. He raises his bat to soak in the applause.

Flatter, full and outside off, Devon Conway goes down for the reverse sweep but fails to connect.

Tossed up, full and on middle, Daryl Mitchell eases it to long on for a run.

Floated, full and around off, Devon Conway goes down and drills it to sweeper cover for a single.

On a length and on leg, Devon Conway clips it through mid-wicket for one more.

Short of a length and on off, Daryl Mitchell gets on top of the bounce and swats it down to long off for one. 100 UP FOR THE KIWIS!

Pitched up and on off, Devon Conway works it off the inner half of the bat through square leg for another run.

Fuller and on middle, Daryl Mitchell knocks it down the pitch, where Romario Shepherd goes down and makes a half-stop but cannot stop the single.

Daryl Mitchell comes out to the middle now.

OUT! TAKEN! A soft dismissal! Once again, the drinks break brings in a wicket. Romario Shepherd rolls his fingers to take pace off, lands this on a length and on off. Rachin Ravindra looks to flick it across the line but closes his bat face early as the ball stops on the surface. It takes the leading edge and loops towards short cover, where Matthew Forde takes a dolly and throws the ball in the air in celebration. The budding 50-run stand has been broken, and New Zealand are 96/2 now.

Cutter, wide outside off, Devon Conway slashes hard at it but fails to connect.

DRINKS! New Zealand have scored runs quite freely, especially in the last few overs. Devon Conway has led the charge, while Rachin Ravindra is also slowly getting into his groove, and this duo could be very threatening for the Windies as they now have a platform to push hard in the next ten with 9 wickets in hand. West Indies need to break this partnership as quickly as possible and then get a few more to put pressure on the middle order, or else they will be chasing a massive score here. Also, Romario Shepherd to bowl after the break.

FOUR! Back-to-back boundaries for Rachin. Back of a length around middle and leg, Rachin Ravindra pulls this through the mid-wicket region and finds the gap for four more runs.

FOUR! Rachin gets cheeky and finds a boundary now. On a length around middle and leg, Rachin Ravindra moves across the stumps and ramps this wide to the right of short fine leg for four more runs.

Bumper, going across the batter. Devon Conway fends this towards the leg side for one.

Back of a length on middle and leg, Rachin Ravindra smashes this to deep square leg for a single.

A touch fuller, around off, Devon Conway punches this to deep point for one.

On a length, angling away from the stumps, Rachin Ravindra punts this through cover for one.

FOUR! Cut away for four. Devon Conway races to 42 off 24. On a length just wide of off, Devon Conway plays this late and cuts this behind square on off to add another boundary to his tally.

On a length around the pads, Rachin Ravindra flicks this to deep mid-wicket for one.

Good length on off, Devon Conway pushes this gently to cover and takes one.

FOUR! Innovative from Devon. On a length around off, Devon Conway shuffles across the stumps and ramps this over the keeper for a boundary behind the stumps.

Good length around off, Devon Conway blocks this one.

Bumper, around off, Rachin Ravindra pulls this but also keeps it down, rolling to deep suare leg for a strike rotation.

Looks like the experiment is over with Alick Athanaze. Shai Hope has introduced Shamar Springer into the attack now.

On a length around the pads, Rachin Ravindra flicks this to deep mid-wicket for a single.

On a length around off, Rachin Ravindra drives this to mid off for no run.

Short and wide of off, Rachin Ravindra cuts this to deep point and takes two.

FOUR! Edged and away for four. Back of a length wide of off, Rachin Ravindra stands his ground and throws his bat at it, away from his body. Gets a thickish outside edge that goes past Shai Hope, behind the stumps, to his left for a boundary.

Holder hits the hard length around middle and leg, Rachin Ravindra tucks this to wide long on for a couple.

Good length around off, Devon Conway guides this to third man region for one.

Double change. Jason Holder replaces Matthew Forde.

FOUR! Flighted around off, Rachin Ravindra presses in front and gets right on top of the bounce. Lofts this over the bowler for a boundary down the ground, in front of the sight screen. 16 runs off Athanaze's first over!

Fuller on off, Devon Conway drives this to sweeper cover for one.

Caught behind but it wouldn't count as this was a Free Hit. Darted outside off, Devon Conway looks to cut this away but manages to edge this back to the keeper.

NO BALL AND FOUR! Alick Athanaze bowls a bit too full this time, on off. Devon Conway moves away from his stumps and lofts this over the cover region for another boundary. Added insult to the injury as Alick Athanaze has overstepped here. A Free Hit to follow.

FOUR! A drag down from Alick Athanaze and Devon Conway pounces onto it. Conway goes deep in the crease and pulls this flat through the mid-wicket region for a boundary.

Short and wide of off, Rachin Ravindra cuts this to deep point for one.

Fired into the batter, seam up. Devon Conway punches this to sweeper cover for one.

Change? Yes, Alick Athanaze comes into the attack. This is his first time bowling in T20Is.

Good length on off, Rachin Ravindra blocks this to cover.

Rachin Ravindra walks out to bat at number 3.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Good length, into the batter. Tim Robinson looks to nudge this around mid-wicket but closes the bat face early. Gets a leading edge back to the bowler. Matthew Forde accepts the gift from Tim gleefully and sends him back to the dugout. New Zealand lose their first with 47 on board.

Forde hits the hard length, angling down the leg. Devon Conway comes inside the line of it and tucks this to short fine leg for one.

On a length around off, Tim Robinson moves away from the stumps and thumps this to mid off for one.

Good length on off, Devon Conway dabs this to short third and takes one.

Back of a length, into the batter. Tim Robinson doesn't time the pull well enough. Gets it away in the outfield to the left of deep square for a single.

Romario Shepherd sees the batter back away, bangs this into the pitch and angles into the leg side. Tim Robinson gets cramped up for room and only manages to heave it away to deep square leg for one.

Pitched up and on off, Devon Conway steers it towards point for one.

Good effort in the field! Fuller in length and just outside off, Tim Robinson throws his hands at it but lofts it from the outer half of the bat over extra cover. The ball trickles away towards the fence, but Akeal Hosein gives a good chase and flicks the ball back inside just in time. Amir Jangoo helps out his teammate by collecting it and throwing it back. Three taken.

Hard length and on middle and leg, Devon Conway clips it towards mid-wicket for a run.

FOUR! Freebie! Short of a length but angling down the leg side, begging to be put away. Devon Conway just helps it on its way wide of short fine for an easy boundary.

Good length and on leg, Tim Robinson flicks it through square leg for a single.

Bangs this into the pitch, outside off, Tim Robinson stabs it out in front of extra cover for one.

It has been a watchful start from Devon Conway and Tim Robinson.

WIDE! Errs in line and serves this full, down the leg side, Tim Robinson fails to glance it away. Wided.

Touch fuller and on middle and leg, Devon Conway whips it away through backward square leg for a run.

On a length and on middle, Tim Robinson clips it through mid-wicket for a single.

Back of a length and on off, Tim Robinson punches it towards short cover.

FOUR! Up and over! Short of a length and just outside off, Tim Robinson gets the chance to free his arms and cuts it over the leaping point fielder for a boundary.

BEAUTY! Fuller in length and on middle, angles in a bit, but then straightens after hitting the deck. Tim Robinson gets a bit squared up as the ball zips past the outisde edge.

FOUR! Nicely done! Flatter, full and around middle, Devon Conway goes down on one knee and swipes it away, beating short fine to his right for a boundary.

Short once more, on off, Devon Conway stabs it towards cover.

Just over! Quicker and shorter, on off, Tim Robinson stays back and slices it in the air, but it just lands over the mid on fielder. Matthew Forde chases after it and pushes the ball back inside. However, he is a bit casual to get back in to collect the ball which allows the batters to get the third run. Hosein is not happy with that effort.

Dragged back, on middle, Devon Conway crouches low and swivel-pulls it towards square leg for a run.

Fires one full and on the pads, Tim Robinson clips it through square leg for a single.

Flatter, shortish and on middle, angling in, Tim Robinson backs away and punches it to extra cover.

Pitched up and on off, Devon Conway taps it towards extra cover.

Hits the length hard, on middle, gets it to nip back in sharply, Tim Robinson fails to get any bat on that and the ball goes off his back thigh towards point. A leg bye taken.

Full again and around off, Devon Conway strides out and pushes it towards cover for a run.

Fuller one and on off, shaping in a bit, Devon Conway looks to drive it away but gets a bottom edge as the ball rolls towards mid on.

On a length and on leg, Tim Robinson knocks it in front of mid off for a quick single.

Matthew Forde begins with a back-of-a-length delivery, jags back in a bit, Tim Robinson hops and tries to work it away but misses and gets hit on the thigh pad.

Matthew Forde will operate from the other end.

SIX! BANG! Devon Conway goes big early here! Floated, full and on middle. Conway skips down the track, gets to the pitch of the ball and slogs it cleanly over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie. 12 runs off the first over!

Another short delivery, on middle, Tim Robinson heaves it off the inner half of the bat towards deep square leg for a run.

FOUR! Put away with ease! Much shorter from Akeal Hosein and outside off. Tim Robinson backs away, uses the width on offer, and slams it through covers for the first boundary of the game.

Flatter, arm ball, full and angling into leg, Tim Robinson gets a bit hurried and bunts it down the pitch. Akeal Hosein dives to his right on the follow-through and makes a good stop.

Drags his length back again, outside off, Tim Robinson rocks back and punches it but fails to beat extra cover.

Akeal Hosein starts with a shorter delivery, on the pads, Devon Conway nudges it off his hips through square leg for a single. New Zealand are underway!

The stage is set. Devon Conway and Tim Robinson are at the crease for New Zealand, ready to face Akeal Hosein, who'll bowl the first over for the West Indies. Let's see how the match unfolds!

Shai Hope, West Indies Captain, said they'd have preferred bowling first but weren't overly disappointed with the decision. He described the surface as a good one and unlikely to change much. Hope stressed learning from the previous game, particularly handling pressure moments, and emphasised consistency in batting and bowling. He was confident in putting pressure with accurate bowling. Hope announced three changes, Jayden Seales, Brandon King, and Roston Chase are out and Sherfane Rutherford, Amir Jangoo, and Shamar Springer replace them.

Mitchell Santner chose that the Kiwis will bat first, describing the wicket as a pretty good surface, browner than what they've faced recently, and noted the slightly larger ground and gentle breeze as factors. He reflected on the previous game, stating that the team was solid for most of it, but acknowledged the West Indies' strength and the need to stay focused. Reviewing the past match, Santner felt the team showed promise, but needed to sustain their efforts longer, citing areas for improvement, particularly in batting consistency and late-game bowling. He praised the atmosphere at Nelson's ground, appreciating the crowd and pleasant weather. On team changes, Mark Chapman's illness led to Mitchell Hay's inclusion, while Jimmy Neesham replaced Zach Foulkes, rounding out the lineup.

West Indies (Playing XI) - Alick Athanaze, Amir Jangoo (In place of Brandon King), Shai Hope (C/WK), Ackeem Auguste, Sherfane Rutherford (In place of Roston Chase), Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd, Shamar Springer (In place of Jayden Seales), Matthew Forde, Akeal Hosein.

New Zealand (Playing XI) - Tim Robinson, Devon Conway (WK), Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Hay (In place of Mark Chapman), James Neesham (In place of Zakary Foulkes), Mitchell Santner (C), Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy.

TOSS - New Zealand have won the toss and elected to BAT first.

New Zealand managed to hold their nerve in the previous game, with Kyle Jamieson showing great composure in the final over to see them through. However, their death bowling remains a concern and is something they’ll want to tighten up. Tim Robinson and Daryl Mitchell have been in solid touch, while Mark Chapman stole the spotlight with a blistering 78 off just 28 balls. The inclusion of Ish Sodhi also paid off, as he combined well with Mitchell Santner to form a strong spin duo. With home advantage on their side, the Kiwis enter as slight favourites, but against a dangerous West Indies outfit, nothing can be taken for granted in this format. Stay tuned for toss and other updates.

Rovman Powell and Romario Shepherd nearly pulled off a sensational heist at Eden Park with their explosive six-hitting display but fell just short in the end. There’s been plenty of discussion around Shai Hope’s slow starts at the top, and he’ll need to up his strike rate to make a greater impact for his side. On the brighter side, Jason Holder and Matthew Forde have been impressive with the ball, and with the firepower they possess, West Indies have enough quality to trouble the Kiwis once again, just as they did in the series opener.

With the series finely poised at 1-1, all eyes now turn to the Saxton Oval in Nelson for the third T20I of this five-match series between New Zealand and West Indies. The first two games have provided plenty of excitement, and this one offers both teams a chance to edge ahead. So, sit back and join us for our coverage of what promises to be yet another thrilling contest.

... MATCH DAY ...

There has always been a growing consensus among cricket aficionados about extending bilateral T20I contests to five matches, not just for entertainment, but for a proper sense of competitiveness. And here we are. Auckland gave us a full dose of that. West Indies landed the first punch in the opener, before New Zealand swung right back in a humdinger of a second match. 1-1, and suddenly, we’ve got ourselves a series worth talking about. Now, from the bustle of the North Island, the action glides all the way south to the tranquil city of Nelson. Getting here isn’t your everyday hop. You either take a short flight or a ferry across the Cook Strait, a route as scenic as it sounds. As fresh as the air in this part of the world is, the Saxton Oval is just like a blank canvas in cricketing history, all set to host its only fourth Men's T20I fixture. This is not a decider, but a pivot point. Winning the third match hands you a near-unassailable psychological edge. It allows for experimentation later, or simply, for an early end to the opposition’s resistance. For the Blackcaps, the three-run escape in the second match must feel like both a massive relief and a sharp reprimand. They dodged a bullet fired by the sheer, brutal force of the West Indies lower-middle order, surviving only on the back of individual brilliance. That brilliance? It came from Mark Chapman's extraordinary 78-run blitz off just 28 balls, rescuing an innings from a mediocre plateau. Equally encouraging, Tim Robinson has firmly displayed that he is made for a longer rope in this format, offering stability and aggression at the top. But, as is often the case, this kind of individual success masks serious structural flaws. The Kiwi top order is, right now, demanding a steep 'Robinson-Chapman Tax' from its two heroes just to keep the team competitive. The veteran Devon Conway is struggling for rhythm, looking visibly uncomfortable in the crease. More concerning is Rachin Ravindra, whose golden touch seems to have faded in the T20 format. With just 50 runs in his last four innings, his struggle for strike rotation and sustained scoring is placing undue, critical pressure on the middle order. Nelson’s road-like pitch won't be forgiving, with the average first innings score being 195. For that, the entire batting unit needs to show up, or they risk relying on another impossible rescue act. On the bowling side, the spin duo of Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi have been exceptionally effective, but their pacers - barring the death-over maturity of a now-in-form Kyle Jamieson - have been a bit on the expensive side. West Indies have a different, albeit familiar, problem. They are magnificent when chasing a lost cause. Rovman Powell (series second-highest run scorer) and Romario Shepherd are playing a brand of high-octane, late-innings violence that is simply breathtaking. Being 94/6 and nearly chasing down 208 is not just a near-miss, but it’s a terrifying statement of intent. But why wait? The opening phase, however, remains measured. The first ten overs yielded scores of 66 and 71 in the first two matches. While this indicates conservatism, it can also be attributed to a conscious decision by the top order - Shai Hope, Alick Athanaze, and Brandon King - to adjust to the pace, skid, and bounce in this part of the world. Compounding this is a Jekyll-and-Hyde bowling unit. The pacers, anchored by the excellent powerplay control of Matthew Forde in the opener, looked disciplined. But that memory was shattered in the second match, where high-potential prospect Jayden Seales was taken for 61 runs. While Roston Chase, with five wickets, has been the most consistent performer, while Akeal Hosein’s underutilization with the ball is also a talking point. The Saxton Oval surface is known to be a batting-friendly track with good pace and bounce, yet the historical record for Nelson shows all three previous T20Is were won by the team batting first. But, as brief as the history of this venue has been in the shortest format, West Indies have been a direct part of it. They played here in the first-ever Men's T20I, back in 2017 match featuring big names like Chris Gayle and then-skipper Carlos Brathwaite, and lost convincingly to the Kiwis after opting to field first. So, a win here will not only take the score line in their favour, but also force the Kiwis to a must-win scenario in the remainder of the games. But, it surely won’t be an easy gig against the home side. We are in for a genuine thriller at Nelson.