T20 World Cup: New Zealand need miracle to avoid early exit after 13-run West Indies loss
- Sherfane Rutherford’s 68 helped the hosts to a place in the next phase while the Kiwis will be out if Afghanistan defeat Papua New Guinea
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New Zealand are on the brink of exiting the T20 World Cup at the group stage after Sherfane Rutherford rescued the West Indies with the bat and their bowlers contained the Kiwis to complete a 13-run victory in a Group C match of the T20 World Cup in Trinidad on Wednesday.
Rutherford’s unbeaten 68 off 39 balls (two fours, six sixes) lifted the home side from the depths of 30 for five in the seventh over to a competitive 149 for nine after they were put in by Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson.
Thrashed in their opening match by Afghanistan and therefore in a virtual must-win situation, the Black Caps never developed any momentum in the chase, being restricted to 136 for nine.
The defeat leaves New Zealand needing a miracle to progress beyond the group stage. The Kiwis will be eliminated if Afghanistan defeat Papua New Guinea on Thursday.
West Indies pacer Alzarri Joseph (four for 19) and spinners Gudakesh Motie (three for 25) and Akeal Hosein (one for 21) kept the home side in control to clinch their third consecutive victory and a place in the Super Eight phase of the competition with one group match still to come, against Afghanistan on Monday in St Lucia.
Only Glenn Phillips (40 off 33 balls) caused any real worries for the West Indies but when he fell to Joseph in the 18th over, the match was effectively over as a contest, despite Mitchell Santner belting three sixes off Romario Shepherd in the final over.
“Keeping it simple and backing my skills – I think that was the key,” Rutherford said in explaining his formula for success on the night after receiving the “Man of the Match” award.
“Looking at their bowling line-up, I knew they were short two overs and I told myself to just be there at the end to make the most of it … and I thought I did that.”
