Lockie Ferguson’s 5 for 21, the second-best figures by a New Zealand player in T20Is, and James Neesham’s unbeaten 48 off 24 balls propelled Black Caps to a five-wicket win over the West Indies in the first game of the three-match series at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday.
The 13,391-strong crowd at the venue hung around to watch the match, which was reduced to 16 ov🔥ers per side and lasted for more than four hours. They were treated to an encounter which had plenty of twists and turns.
Skipper Kieron Pollard looked to have lifted the Men in Maroon to an unbeatable total when he smashed 75 off 37 balls, but Neesham along with debutant Devon Conway (41 off 29) and Mitchell Santner (31 not off 18) had other ideas.
The left-handed all-rounder Santer hit glorious sixes in the match-defining moments to seal the chase o𝓰f 176 with four balls to spare.
Brief scores: West Indies 180/7 in 16 overs (Andre Fletcher 34, Kieron Pollard 75 not out; Lockie Ferguson 5/21) lost✱ to New Zealand 179/5 in 15.2 overs (Devon Conway 41, James Neesham 48 not out; Oshane Thomas 2/23) by five wickets (DLS method).
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
4⃣-0⃣-2⃣1⃣-5⃣
What a show by Lockie Ferguson!
His best T20I figures, and how!
— ICC (@ICC)
Neesham𒊎 back at home and in his comfort🍒 hitting zone.
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS)
Lockie Ferguson. Staggeringly good spell of boꦏwling.
— Guy Heveldt (@GuyHeveldt)
Lockie Ferguson is a monster.
— Nubaid Haroon (@RamboFYI)
4️⃣8️⃣* off just 24 for 🙌
Describe his knock with one emoji 👇🏻
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL)
If you were to create a bowler in a laboratory to take on this West Indies batting order it would look somethi🎉ng like♛ Lockie Ferguson. High pace, hard lengths, tight lines, relentless aggression.
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket)
4-0-21-5*
— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang)
Lockie Ferguson has a career-best – and an outstanding – 5-21 in the yo-yoing T20I against West Indies.
— Kritika Naidu (@Kritzika)
Five-wicket hauls by New Zealand bowlers in T🥀20Is:-
Tim Southee v PAK at Auckland, 2010
Lockie Ferguson v WI at Auckland, 2020— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats)
New Zealand chase down 176 runs from 15.2 overs with 5 wickets in hands – Neesham 48*(24), Santner 31*(18) & Conway 41(29) helped to chase the target. Ferguson won the man of the match for his 5 wickets – Eden Park produces another thriller.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns)
An exciting 1st T20I comes 💙to an end. Congratulations to on a great game.
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket)
New Zealand win it. What a game! ꧃New Zealand 179/5 (15.2) [Target 176 (16)], Neesham 48*, Conway 41, Santner 31*; Thomas 2-23. West Indies 180/7 (16), Pollard 75, Fletcher 34, Allen 30; Ferguson 5-21. Congrats 👏🏼
— WIPA (@wiplayers)
