WI vs NZ 1st T20I
Reflexes
- Odeon Smith scored 27 runs on 12 balls after 3 wickets.
- New Zealand beat the West Indies by 13 runs in the first T20
- New Zealand took a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series
WI vs NZ 1st T20I: The three-match T20I series between the West Indies and New Zealand kicked off on Wednesday 10 August. The three games in this series will be played on August 10, 12 and 14 at Sabina Park in Kingston Jamaica. The first match was very exciting and saw the game go to 40 overs. The West Indies lost the match by 13 runs as New Zealand took a 1–0 series lead. Odion Smith, who played for the Punjab Kings in the IPL for the Windies, performed brilliantly but was unable to lead the team to victory.
In this match, West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran won the toss and decided to bowl first. The New Zealand team batted brilliantly while playing first. Captain Kane Williamson, who returned to the cricket pitch after a long time, contributed 47 runs while Devon Conway also scored 43 runs. In the end, thanks to Jimmy Neesham’s 33-for-15 balls, the Kiwis went 185-for-5 from 20 overs. Punjab Kings’ Odion Smith took three wickets for 32 runs in 4 overs for the hosts. In response, the beginning of the Windies team was not special.
Wobbly start to the West Indies
Starting pitcher Kyle Myers became a victim of Tim Southee by scoring only 1 run. Captain Nicholas Pooran was also only able to manage 15 runs. Shamar Brooks (42) remained at one end, but the windows continued to fall from the other end. Devon Thomas 1 and Shimron Hetmyer returned to the pavilion after scoring 2 runs. After this Holder supported Brooks but also lost his wicket by a total of 79. At that point half the team was out and the team needed 107 runs from 50 balls to win. Then Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd and finally Odeon Smith revived the Windies’ hopes.
Odeon Smith scored but couldn’t take the win
Powell, who came on the heels of a 5-wicket-for-79 drop, played a useful inning of 18 runs on 12 balls. Romario Shepherd then made 31 not out of 16 balls. All eyes were on Odeon Smith, who played a 27-run inning on 12 balls with a strike rate of around 225. Windies needed 35 runs in the last two overs, but Lockie Ferguson’s 19th over, in which only 9 runs were scored, he turned the game back to the Kiwis. It took 26 runs in the last over and the experienced Tim Southee was bowling. But Odion Smith could not work wonders and the West Indies team could only make 172 runs in 20 overs losing 7 wickets. In this way, the visiting kiwi team took a 1-0 lead in the match-winning series.