HIGHLIGHTS New Zealand vs West Indies, West Indies in New Zealand 5 T20I Series 2025, 3rd T20- Result, Scorecard

We are back for the chase! The players are already out in the middle now. Amir Jangoo and Alick Athanaze are the two openers for West Indies. Kyle Jamieson to start proceedings with the ball. Here we go...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

West Indies looked completely out of rhythm in the first ten overs, with New Zealand seemingly on course for a total close to 200. But the visitors staged a remarkable comeback in the second half of the innings. Matthew Forde was outstanding - both tight and effective - as he picked up a couple of crucial wickets, while Romario Shepherd and Shamar Springer chipped in with one apiece. Although Shepherd couldn’t finish his spell due to an injury that might affect their batting order, Jason Holder stepped up with two wickets of his own, and the fielders contributed with three run-outs to round off a terrific bowling performance. Now, it’s over to the batters to back this up and chase down the target to move ahead in the series. Join us in a bit for the second essay.

Matthew Forde of West Indies is up for a quick chat. He acknowledged the new ball offered seam movement, crediting the groundsmen for preparing a pitch with spongy bounce, giving pace bowlers something to work with. He highlighted the team's efforts to improve death bowling, feeling they'd done well restricting the opponent to a manageable total. Now, he looks to the batters to step up, noting the pitch's movement and hoping for a strong start to chase the target.

New Zealand began brightly, with Devon Conway looking in great touch and finding the boundaries regularly. Though Tim Robinson couldn’t stay for long, Rachin Ravindra provided solid support as the pair added 50 runs together. Conway brought up a well-made half-century, but his unfortunate run-out proved to be a turning point. After that, the middle order failed to make much of an impact apart from Daryl Mitchell’s quickfire 41 off 24 balls. The Kiwis could only muster 31 runs for the loss of six wickets in the final five overs, which summed up their struggle in the latter stages.

It was a topsy-turvy batting display from New Zealand! At 96/1 at the halfway stage, they looked set for a big total, but the West Indies fought back brilliantly after the drinks break. Sharp fielding and outstanding death bowling from the visitors turned things around completely, as they managed to restrict the Kiwis to the lowest-ever T20I total at the Saxton Oval.

Shamar Springer to Jacob Duffy, 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.

Shamar Springer to Kyle Jamieson, 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.

Shamar Springer to Ish Sodhi, 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.

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

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

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

Shamar Springer to Kyle Jamieson, 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?

Jason Holder to Daryl Mitchell, 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!

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

Kyle Jamieson walks out to bat now.

Jason Holder to Mitchell Hay, 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!

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

Jason Holder to Daryl Mitchell, 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 to Mitchell Hay, 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.

Shamar Springer to Daryl Mitchell, 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.

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

Mitchell Hay is the next man in.

Shamar Springer to Mitchell Santner, 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!

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

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

Shamar Springer to Daryl Mitchell, 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.

Matthew Forde to Mitchell Santner, 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.

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

Mitchell Santner comes out to the middle now.

Matthew Forde to James Neesham, 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.

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

Matthew Forde to James Neesham, 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.

Matthew Forde to James Neesham, 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.

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

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

Jason Holder to Daryl Mitchell, 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.

Jason Holder to Daryl Mitchell, 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!

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

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

Akeal Hosein to Daryl Mitchell, 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.

Akeal Hosein to Daryl Mitchell, 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.

Akeal Hosein to Daryl Mitchell, 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Romario Shepherd to Michael Bracewell, 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.

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

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

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

Michael Bracewell is the next man in.

Shamar Springer to Daryl Mitchell, 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!

Shamar Springer to Devon Conway, 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.

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

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

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

Akeal Hosein to Devon Conway, 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.

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

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

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

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

Romario Shepherd to Daryl Mitchell, 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!

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

Romario Shepherd to Daryl Mitchell, 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.

Romario Shepherd to Rachin Ravindra, 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.

Romario Shepherd to Devon Conway, 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.

Jason Holder to Rachin Ravindra, 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.

Jason Holder to Rachin Ravindra, 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.

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

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

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

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

Shamar Springer to Devon Conway, 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.

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

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

Shamar Springer to Devon Conway, 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.

Shamar Springer to Devon Conway, Good length around off, Devon Conway blocks this one.

Shamar Springer to Rachin Ravindra, 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.

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

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

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

Jason Holder to Rachin Ravindra, 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.

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

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

Double change. Jason Holder replaces Matthew Forde.

Alick Athanaze to Rachin Ravindra, 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!

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

Alick Athanaze to Devon Conway, 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.

Alick Athanaze to Devon Conway, 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.

Alick Athanaze to Devon Conway, 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.

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

Alick Athanaze to Devon Conway, 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.

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

Rachin Ravindra walks out to bat at number 3.

Matthew Forde to Tim Robinson, 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.

Matthew Forde to Devon Conway, 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.

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

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

Matthew Forde to Tim Robinson, 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 to Tim Robinson, 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.

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

Romario Shepherd to Tim Robinson, 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.

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

Romario Shepherd to Devon Conway, 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.

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

Matthew Forde to Tim Robinson, 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.

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

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

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

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

Matthew Forde to Tim Robinson, 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.

Matthew Forde to Tim Robinson, 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.

Akeal Hosein to Devon Conway, 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.

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

Akeal Hosein to Tim Robinson, 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.

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

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

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

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

Matthew Forde to Tim Robinson, 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.

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

Matthew Forde to Devon Conway, 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.

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

Matthew Forde to Tim Robinson, 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.

Akeal Hosein to Devon Conway, 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!

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

Akeal Hosein to Tim Robinson, 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.

Akeal Hosein to Tim Robinson, 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.

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

Akeal Hosein to Devon Conway, 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.