T20 World Cup, Group C, Trinidad
West Indies 149-9: Rutherford 68* (39); Boult 3-16
New Zealand 136-9: Phillips 40 (33); Joseph 4-19, Motie 3-25
West Indies won by 13 runs
Scorecard | Table
Sherfane Rutherford’s brilliant unbeaten 68 steered West Indies to a 13-run victory over New Zealand, securing their spot in the T20 World Cup Super 8s.
Facing adversity at 22-4 when Rutherford came to bat, the West Indies continued to struggle, dropping to 30-5 and later 76-7. However, Rutherford's composed and calculated approach saw him score a critical 37 runs in the last two overs, lifting the hosts to a competitive total of 149-9 on a challenging pitch in Trinidad.
New Zealand’s chase crumbled in the middle overs as Alzarri Joseph’s 4-19 and Gudakesh Motie’s 3-25 stifled their efforts. Despite a late surge by Glenn Phillips and Mitchell Santner, the Black Caps finished at 136-9, falling short by 13 runs.
With this win, West Indies advanced to the next phase of the tournament, while New Zealand’s back-to-back losses have put their qualification hopes in jeopardy. They now face a must-win scenario against Uganda and Papua New Guinea and need favourable results from other matches. New Zealand could be knocked out before their next game if Afghanistan defeats Papua New Guinea on Friday.
Trinidad's Enthusiastic Crowd, Rewarded by Rutherford's Heroics
The atmosphere at the Brian Lara Academy was electric as West Indies entered the match following two wins. However, the mood dampened quickly as New Zealand's experienced bowling attack, led by Trent Boult, reduced West Indies to 22-4 within the first six overs.
Throughout the next 12 overs, the local crowd saw fleeting glimpses of recovery, only for West Indies to lose another wicket each time they seemed to gain momentum. Rutherford, having scored just 20 runs off his first 21 balls, understood the need for patience as his teammates struggled to stay at the crease.
It wasn’t until the ninth wicket fell that Rutherford unleashed his assault. In the 19th over, after refusing a single on the first ball, he smashed three of the next four deliveries for six. He continued his aggressive batting in the final over, hitting two fours and another six off Santner, propelling the team from a projected 120 to a formidable 149.
Key Contributions With the Ball
The West Indies bowlers complemented Rutherford’s batting efforts with a collective performance. Joseph removed Finn Allen, who had started aggressively, and Motie took down both Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra in quick succession during his first two overs. Motie’s dismissal of Daryl Mitchell in his third over further consolidated West Indies' control over the game.
Although Phillips threatened a turnaround, Joseph halted his progress, ensuring the West Indies remained on course for victory. Santner's three sixes in the final over highlighted the importance of Rutherford's earlier innings, underscoring the value of the runs he added towards the end.
Post-Match Reactions
Player of the Match, Sherfane Rutherford, reflected on his strategy, stating that he focused on taking the game deep and rotating the strike, confident that he could accelerate towards the end if he felt the momentum.
West Indies captain Rovman Powell praised Rutherford’s performance, noting that they anticipated the need for an extraordinary individual effort on a difficult pitch. He described Rutherford’s innings as a brilliant display of individual brilliance, crucial in T20 cricket.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson acknowledged the difficulty of the conditions and recognised Rutherford's innings as a game-changing effort. He remarked on the quality of Rutherford's batting and expressed frustration at being unable to counter it effectively.