Cricket is more than just a game in the Caribbean and New Zealand—it’s a way of life, a celebration of skill, strategy, and passion. When the West Indies cricket team, affectionately known as the West Indies Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Match Scorecard in the 26th match of Group C at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, fans knew they were in for a treat. The match, played on June 13, 2024, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad, was a rollercoaster of emotions, showcasing the best of T20 cricket: explosive batting, disciplined bowling, and moments of sheer brilliance. Let’s dive into the story of this unforgettable clash, break down the scorecard, and relive the key moments that defined the game.
The Stage: Brian Lara Cricket Academy
The Brian Lara Cricket Academy, named after one of the West Indies’ greatest cricketers, provided a fitting backdrop for this high-stakes encounter. The pitch at Tarouba was known to be tricky, offering assistance to bowlers early on but allowing batters to play their shots if they could survive the initial challenge. With a lively crowd cheering on the home team, the atmosphere was electric, and both sides were ready to battle for crucial points in the T20 World Cup group stage.
The Toss and Team Lineups
New Zealand, led by captain Kane Williamson, won the toss and elected to bowl first, hoping to exploit early conditions with their pace-heavy attack. The Windies, under the leadership of Rovman Powell, were sent in to bat—a decision that would test their resilience on a surface that wasn’t entirely batter-friendly.
West Indies Lineup
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Brandon King
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Johnson Charles
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Nicholas Pooran (wk)
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Roston Chase
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Rovman Powell (c)
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Akeal Hosein
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Andre Russell
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Sherfane Rutherford
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Romario Shepherd
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Alzarri Joseph
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Gudakesh Motie
New Zealand Lineup
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Finn Allen
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Devon Conway (wk)
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Kane Williamson (c)
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Rachin Ravindra
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Daryl Mitchell
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Glenn Phillips
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James Neesham
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Mitchell Santner
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Tim Southee
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Lockie Ferguson
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Trent Boult
Both teams boasted a mix of experience and youth, with the Windies relying on their power-hitting and spin bowling, while New Zealand banked on their disciplined bowling attack and versatile batting lineup.
West Indies Innings: A Tale of Collapse and Redemption
The West Indies’ innings got off to a shaky start. New Zealand’s bowlers, led by Trent Boult, came out firing. Boult’s swing and pace troubled the Windies’ top order, and the home side found themselves in deep trouble at 76/7 by the 13th over. Wickets fell in quick succession, with key players like Johnson Charles, Nicholas Pooran, and Rovman Powell unable to make significant contributions.
Early Wickets
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Johnson Charles (0, 1 ball): Boult struck in the first over, dismissing Charles for a duck, caught by Conway.
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Nicholas Pooran (17, 12 balls): Fell to Southee in the 3.5th over, caught by Williamson.
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Roston Chase (0, 3 balls): Boult’s second victim, dismissed in the 4.3rd over.
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Rovman Powell (0, 5 balls): Boult’s third wicket, caught by Phillips in the 5.4th over.
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Brandon King (9, 12 balls): Fell to Ferguson in the 6.3rd over.
At 30/5 after 6.3 overs, the Windies were staring down the barrel. The New Zealand bowlers, particularly Boult (3/16) and Southee (2/21), were relentless, hitting hard lengths and exploiting the pitch’s variable bounce.
Sherfane Rutherford’s Heroics
Just when it seemed like the Windies were heading for a low total, Sherfane Rutherford stepped up with a match-defining performance. Coming in at No. 8, Rutherford played with composure and aggression, stitching together crucial partnerships with Andre Russell, Akeal Hosein, and Romario Shepherd. His unbeaten 68 off 39 balls, including 2 fours and 6 sixes, was a masterclass in T20 batting. Rutherford’s ability to read the game, pick his moments, and accelerate at the death turned the tide for the Windies.
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Partnership with Andre Russell (14, 7 balls): Added 28 runs for the 7th wicket.
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Partnership with Romario Shepherd (13, 13 balls): Added 27 runs for the 8th wicket.
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Partnership with Alzarri Joseph (6, 6 balls): Added 9 runs for the 9th wicket.
Rutherford’s onslaught in the final overs, particularly against Neesham and Santner, propelled the Windies to a competitive 149/9 in their 20 overs. His knock earned him the Player of the Match award, and he later reflected, “I just kept telling myself to take it deep. I knew I could make it up in the end once I got into rhythm.”
New Zealand’s Bowling Analysis
New Zealand’s bowlers were disciplined but leaked runs in the death overs. Here’s how they performed:
|
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wickets |
Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Trent Boult |
4 | 1 | 16 | 3 | 4.00 |
|
Tim Southee |
4 | 0 | 21 | 2 | 5.25 |
|
Lockie Ferguson |
4 | 0 | 27 | 2 | 6.75 |
|
James Neesham |
4 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 6.75 |
|
Glenn Phillips |
1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 9.00 |
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Mitchell Santner |
2 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 13.50 |
|
Daryl Mitchell |
1 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 19.00 |
Boult was the standout, but the spinners struggled, with Santner and Mitchell proving expensive. The Windies’ late surge, led by Rutherford, exposed New Zealand’s inability to close out the innings effectively.
New Zealand Innings: A Chase That Fell Short
Chasing 150, New Zealand needed a solid start, but the Windies’ bowlers had other plans. Alzarri Joseph and Akeal Hosein bowled with precision, exploiting the pitch’s inconsistent bounce and keeping the pressure on the Kiwi batters.
Early Setbacks
New Zealand’s top order struggled to get going:
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Devon Conway (5, 8 balls): Dismissed by Hosein in the 3rd over, caught by Russell.
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Finn Allen (26, 23 balls): Fell to Joseph in the 5.4th over, caught by Pooran.
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Kane Williamson (1, 2 balls): Joseph’s second victim, bowled in the 6.4th over.
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Rachin Ravindra (10, 9 balls): Caught by Powell off Russell in the 8.5th over.
At 54/4 after 8.5 overs, New Zealand were in trouble, mirroring the Windies’ early collapse. The Windies’ bowlers, particularly Joseph (4/19) and Hosein (1/21), bowled tight lines and used the conditions to their advantage.
Middle-Order Resistance
Glenn Phillips (40 off 33) and Mitchell Santner (21 not out off 12) tried to rebuild, but the required run rate kept climbing. Phillips played some aggressive shots, including a couple of sixes, but lacked consistent support. The Windies’ spinners, Hosein and Motie, were economical, conceding just 50 runs in 9 overs at an economy rate of 5.5, compared to New Zealand’s spinners, who went for 36 runs in 3 overs at an economy of 12.
Late Fightback Falls Short
In the final overs, Santner and Neesham hit a few big shots, including three sixes in the 20th over bowled by Romario Shepherd. However, it was too little, too late. New Zealand finished at 136/9, falling 13 runs short of the target. Shepherd’s final over was eventful, conceding 15 runs but holding his nerve to secure the win for the Windies.
West Indies’ Bowling Analysis
The Windies’ bowlers were clinical, with Joseph leading the way:
|
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wickets |
Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Akeal Hosein |
4 | 0 | 21 | 1 | 5.25 |
|
Romario Shepherd |
3 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 12.00 |
|
Andre Russell |
4 | 0 | 30 | 1 | 7.50 |
|
Alzarri Joseph |
4 | 0 | 19 | 4 | 4.75 |
|
Gudakesh Motie |
5 | 0 | 25 | 2 | 6.25 |
Joseph’s four-wicket haul was pivotal, earning him praise from captain Powell, who noted, “We tried to replicate the hard lengths that New Zealand bowled, and our bowlers executed brilliantly.”
Full West Indies Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Match Scorecard
Here’s the complete scorecard for the match:
West Indies Innings (149/9, 20 overs)
|
Batsman |
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Brandon King |
9 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 75.00 |
|
Johnson Charles |
0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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Nicholas Pooran |
17 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 141.67 |
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Roston Chase |
0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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Rovman Powell (c) |
0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
Akeal Hosein |
15 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 115.38 |
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Andre Russell |
14 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 200.00 |
|
Sherfane Rutherford |
68* | 39 | 2 | 6 | 174.36 |
|
Romario Shepherd |
13 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 100.00 |
|
Alzarri Joseph |
6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
|
Gudakesh Motie |
0* | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
|
Extras |
27 |
(lb 5, w 22) |
|||
|
Total |
149/9 |
20 overs |
Fall of Wickets: 1/1 (Charles, 1 ov), 20/2 (Pooran, 3.5 ov), 21/3 (Chase, 4.3 ov), 22/4 (Powell, 5.4 ov), 30/5 (King, 6.3 ov), 58/6 (Hosein, 11 ov), 76/7 (Russell, 12.3 ov), 103/8 (Shepherd, 16.2 ov), 112/9 (Joseph, 17.5 ov)
New Zealand Innings (136/9, 20 overs)
|
Batsman |
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Finn Allen |
26 | 23 | 3 | 1 | 113.04 |
|
Devon Conway |
5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 62.50 |
|
Kane Williamson (c) |
1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
|
Rachin Ravindra |
10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 111.11 |
|
Daryl Mitchell |
14 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 87.50 |
|
Glenn Phillips |
40 | 33 | 3 | 2 | 121.21 |
|
James Neesham |
10 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 90.91 |
|
Mitchell Santner |
21* | 12 | 0 | 3 | 175.00 |
|
Tim Southee |
0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
Lockie Ferguson |
0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
Trent Boult |
7* | 4 | 1 | 0 | 175.00 |
|
Extras |
2 |
(lb 1, w 1) |
|||
|
Total |
136/9 |
20 overs |
Fall of Wickets: 20/1 (Conway, 3 ov), 34/2 (Allen, 5.4 ov), 39/3 (Williamson, 6.4 ov), 54/4 (Ravindra, 8.5 ov), 76/5 (Mitchell, 12.3 ov), 96/6 (Neesham, 15.5 ov), 108/7 (Phillips, 17.3 ov), 108/8 (Southee, 17.4 ov), 108/9 (Ferguson, 18.2 ov)
Key Moments and Turning Points
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Boult’s Early Breakthroughs: Trent Boult’s opening spell (3/16) rocked the Windies, reducing them to 30/5. His ability to swing the ball and hit hard lengths set the tone for New Zealand’s dominance early on.
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Rutherford’s Rescue Act: Sherfane Rutherford’s unbeaten 68 turned the game on its head. His partnerships with Russell, Hosein, and Shepherd ensured the Windies posted a competitive total.
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Joseph’s Fiery Spell: Alzarri Joseph’s 4/19, including the wickets of Williamson and Allen, derailed New Zealand’s chase early, putting them on the back foot.
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Spinners’ Control: The Windies’ spinners, Hosein and Motie, outbowled their New Zealand counterparts, keeping the run rate in check and picking up crucial wickets.
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Santner’s Late Surge: Mitchell Santner’s three sixes in the final over gave New Zealand a glimmer of hope, but the target was just out of reach.
Post-Match Reflections
West Indies captain Rovman Powell was delighted with his team’s resilience. “We were in trouble, but Sherfane’s innings was fantastic. Our bowlers executed the plan to hit hard lengths, and the crowd’s energy lifted us,” he said.New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, on the other hand, acknowledged the challenge of the surface and praised Rutherford’s knock. “It was a tricky pitch, and we did well with the ball early on, but Rutherford’s batting depth hurt us. We need to bounce back quickly,” he noted.
Impact on the Tournament
The 13-run victory was a significant boost for the Windies, strengthening their position in Group C and keeping their Super 8 hopes alive. For New Zealand, the loss was a major setback, leaving them on the brink of elimination. If Afghanistan won their next game against Papua New Guinea, New Zealand’s Super 8 dreams would be over.
Why This Match Mattered
This match was a testament to the unpredictability of T20 cricket. The Windies’ recovery from 76/7 to 149/9 showcased their fighting spirit, while New Zealand’s inability to chase a modest total highlighted the fine margins in this format. Sherfane Rutherford’s knock will be remembered as one of the great T20 World Cup performances, and Alzarri Joseph’s bowling underlined the Windies’ strength in pace.
Conclusion
The West Indies Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Match Scorecard at the 2024 T20 World Cup was a thrilling display of cricket’s highs and lows. From a near-collapse to a heroic recovery, from disciplined bowling to a valiant but unsuccessful chase, this match had it all. The Windies’ 13-run victory was a triumph of resilience and strategy, proving why they remain one of the most exciting teams in world cricket. For fans of all ages, this game was a reminder of why we love cricket—because on any given day, anything is possible.
