WI VS NZ 1ST T20I

Right then! That is it from this match. West Indies have a chance to level up the series. The second T20I is on Saturday, 13th August at 12 am IST (6.30 pm GMT, previous day). Join us for the build up as well. Goodbye!

Kane Williamson, the captain of New Zealand says that it is nice to get a win and he is pleased with the performance of the team. Says that he is well aware of the hitting ability of the West Indies batters and that they are capable of amazing things. He states that is happy that they managed to secure the win. Says that everyone has a role to play in the team and is happy that he was able to contribute. Says that the cameos towards the end helped them put up a challenging total and the bowlers did well to stay calm and execute their plans well.

Nicholas Pooran, the skipper of West Indies. He says they did well to take the game till the last over. Says the last over took the game away while Neesham was batting. Says that if they could have restricted them to 175 they were in the game. Says in hindsight it was not an easy pitch as Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi bowled really well and there was turn on this wicket. Credits the middle order batter for playing well and getting them close to the total. Mentions Romario Shepherd and Odean Smith for the hitting ability and for keeping them in the game. Once again mentions that had they restricted the opponents to 175 they may have been able to achieve the target. Says the batters made some mistakes and gives Shimron Hetmyer as an example saying that he hit the ball in the air and next time he would probably play along the ground. Continues to say that batters will keep getting better and they are quite confident that things will improve.

Mitchell Santner is the MAN OF THE MATCH. He says it was a good wicket as there was some spin on offer. As a unit, they picked up wickets at regular intervals and that was key. Adds that he played a lot of cricket here, in the Caribbean Premier League at Trinidad and that gives an idea of what kind of length works. Shares that it was key to pick up wickets at regular intervals. On Kane Williamson, it is massive to have him back. He controlled the innings well. Applauds James Neesham's innings as well.

...Presentation coming up...

New Zealand will not be that disappointed. Although they were some fireworks going on in the final phase. New Zealand kept their cool and executed their plans. They did well to pick wickets at regular intervals and even Kane Williamson used his five bowlers really well. Mitchell Santner was the pick of the bowlers as he scalped three wickets. They too just like West Indies put in some wonderful effort on the field. Earlier, New Zealand scored a decent total on a good pitch. Thanks to the innings from Devon Conway and Kane Williamson. The late flourish from James Neesham proved to be the potential match-winning one as they scored 34 in the last two overs. The bowlers were consistent in their lines and did well to not allow any partnerships apart from the last one.

West Indies will feel they left a bit too much for the all-rounders to finish the game. They are still not able to find the best place for their big-hitters. They keep chopping and changing just like we saw them do against India. There is no clear role for the batters other than to go out and go big, which isn't working for them right now. It was something similar in this match, they bat deep and the likes of Jason Holder. Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd and Odean Smith showed that they have the capabilities. However, in the end it was just too much for the finishers to breach the target.

New Zealand would have had their heart in the mouth looking at the way Odean Smith and Romario Shepherd were batting. The result could have gone either way right till the end. However, the bowlers have done the job and New Zealand lead the 3-match T20I series as they go 1-0 up.

Tim Southee bowls this full and in line with the stumps, Odean Smith works this towards mid-wicket for a single. New Zealand have won this game by 13 runs and go 1-0 up in the series.

James Neesham with some brilliant fielding! Saved his team five runs! Pitched up, on off. Romario Shepherd swings his blade and connected it well. It goes to deep mid-wicket where James Neesham stands at the edge of the ropes and times his jump to pull it back inside the ground. Terrific from James Neesham.

Just two! A slower ball, length and on off. Romario Shepherd again swings across but gets a top egde and over short third man. Lockie Ferguson runs back and does ever so well to keep the ball away from the ropes. Two runs.

SIX! BANG! There is the first one! On a length and on middle. Romario Shepherd clears his front leg and thumps it over long on for a biggie.

Fuller ball, in the slot on off. Smith lost his shape as he swings across and it rolls to long on for a single. 24 needed now.

On a length and on middle. Romario Shepherd looks to pull but gets cramped for room and will only get a single as it rolls to mid-wicket.

FOUR! West Indies still have a small chance! Too full and outside off. Smith powers it through covers and the long fielder runs across but fails to stop it.

A length ball, outside off. Odean Smith slashes at it but misses. He gets a thick outside edge over backward point but Ish Sodhi does well to track back and keep it down to two.

SIX! West Indies are goind down fighting! Lockie Ferguson  bangs this in short and angling into the batter, Odean Smith pulls this wide of deep square leg and deposits this onto the roof!