A brilliant bowling performance secured the West Indies an unlikely seven-run victory in the first T20 against New Zealand on Wednesday, despite a stunning solo effort from Mitchell Santner.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The West Indies, who landed in New Zealand only two days ago, struggled on the Eden Park drop-in wicket that offered some seam and turn to the home bowlers, making 164-6 from their 20 overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The visitors then delivered a precise bowling performance to restrict the Black Caps, who needed a brilliant 28-ball 55 from captain Santner to keep the game interesting.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Santner won the toss and elected to field at an initially sun-filled Eden Park.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Black Caps struck twice in the powerplay, Brandon King and Alick Athanaze falling to Jacob Duffy and Kyle Jamieson respectively to leave West Indies 32-2 after six overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Captain Shai Hope looked to anchor the innings for the visitors, cautiously approaching his opening overs before ramping up the risk as he attacked the straight boundaries.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The West Indies were 66-3 halfway through their innings, but then plundered 34 runs in the next three overs as Hope brought up a 38-ball 50.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He fell from the very next ball, a Zak Foulkes delivery staying low and wiping out the leg stump as Hope tried to hoist it over the leg side.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Rovman Powell provided much-needed power for the West Indies, clubbing two sixes as he brought up a 23-ball 33, but his side meandered towards what appeared an under-par score.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But then it was all West Indies.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Tim Robinson opened the batting for New Zealand alongside Devon Conway, who returned to the XI after Tim Seifert broke a finger while batting in domestic cricket on Sunday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Seamer Matthew Forde was superb for West Indies, taking 1-9 from three powerplay overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
New Zealand struggled to find the boundary and a double strike by Jayden Seales in the 13th over flipped the game in the visitors' favour, removing Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell in the space of three balls.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Seales finished with 3-32 from his four overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
A late flurry from Santner gave New Zealand faint hope but, needing 20 from the final over, he fell just short.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The two sides play again at Eden Park on Thursday in the second game of the five-match series.<\/p>\r\n", "image": "https:\/\/img.cricketnmore.com\/uploads\/2025\/11\/West-Indies-tour-of-New-Zealand-2025-1st-T20I.jpeg", "alt_img": "West Indies tour of New Zealand 2025", "alt_title": "West Indies vs New Zealand 2025 first t20I", "image1": null, "video": null, "seo_title": "West Indies edge New Zealand despite Santner brilliance On Cricketnmore", "seo_desc": "New Zealand struggled to find the boundary and a double strike by Jayden Seales in the 13th over flipped the game in the visitors' favour, removing Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell in the space of three balls.", "seo_keywords": "West Indies Tour New Zealand 2025, West Indies Vs New Zealand, Jayden Seales", "tag": null, "tagging": "West Indies Tour Zealand 2025,West Indies Vs Zealand,Jayden Seales,", "status": "1", "img_rpt": "0", "google": "1", "standout": "0", "edapps": "0", "pulse": "0", "no_index": "0", "feed": "0", "fixture": null, "slug": "west-indies-edge-new-zealand-despite-santner-brilliance", "user_id": "0", "read_count": "1", "ians_date": null, "ians_time": null, "server_time": null, "trash": "0", "view_count": "722", "page_break": "0", "instant_articles": "1", "auto_link": "1", "created": "2025-11-05 16:15:08", "updated": "2025-11-05 16:15:08", "img_from": "Image Source: Google", "img_source": null, "schedule_publish": null, "news_keywords": "West Indies Tour New Zealand 2025, West Indies Vs New Zealand, Jayden Seales", "livescore_text": null, "livescore_link": null, "btn_text": null, "resend_feed": "0", "google_feed": "0", "read_more": "1", "posted_by": "19", "jio_date": "2025-11-05 16:15:08", "scheduled": "0", "news_now": "1", "breaking_news": "1", "google_date": null, "featured": "0", "pred_match_id": "Select", "article_content_type": null, "england_cricket": "0", "link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/west-indies-edge-new-zealand-despite-santner-brilliance-181294" }