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 overs 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 of 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!#NZvWI pic.twitter.com/NBkSVrOuDU
— ICC (@ICC) November 27, 2020
Neesham back at home and in his comfort hitting zone.
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) November 27, 2020
Lockie Ferguson. Staggeringly good spell of bowling.
— Guy Heveldt (@GuyHeveldt) November 27, 2020
Lockie Ferguson is a monster.
— Nubaid Haroon (@RamboFYI) November 27, 2020
4️⃣8️⃣* off just 24 for @JimmyNeesh 🙌
Describe his knock with one emoji 👇🏻#SaddaPunjab #NZvWI pic.twitter.com/1wkZC6ogT4
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) November 27, 2020
If you were to create a bowler in a laboratory to take on this West Indies batting order it would look something like Lockie Ferguson. High pace, hard lengths, tight lines, relentless aggression. #NZvWI
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) November 27, 2020
4-0-21-5*
— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) November 27, 2020
Lockie Ferguson has a career-best – and an outstanding – 5-21 in the yo-yoing T20I against West Indies. #NZvsWI
— Kritika Naidu (@Kritzika) November 27, 2020
Five-wicket hauls by New Zealand bowlers in T20Is:-
Tim Southee v PAK at Auckland, 2010
Lockie Ferguson v WI at Auckland, 2020#NZvsWI— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) November 27, 2020
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. pic.twitter.com/8zMFc8CDS0
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 27, 2020
#NZvWI An exciting 1st T20I comes to an end. Congratulations to @BLACKCAPS on a great game.#TeamWI #MenInMaroon pic.twitter.com/2zmjVrk48L
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) November 27, 2020
#NZvWI 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 @BLACKCAPS 👏🏼#WIPlayers #Cricket #WI #WIAllIn #MenInMaroon pic.twitter.com/4YiEciz5md
— WIPA (@wiplayers) November 27, 2020
