Cricket doesn’t always reward the bold—but it sure made them famous for a night. In the 2nd T20I of their ongoing series, the West Indies played one of the most explosive innings in T20I history, smashing 204/8 in a chase that had everything: sixes, records, heartbreak, and a three-run margin that will haunt them for weeks. Despite rewriting the script on high-scoring chases, they lost to New Zealand—a team that refused to buckle, led by Mark Chapman’s 78 off just 28 balls and a masterclass in spin bowling from Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner. The result? A leveled series at 1-1, and a match instantly etched into T20 folklore.
With over 410 runs scored in 40 overs, this was one of the highest-scoring T20Is ever played—and yet, it came down to a single missed boundary in the final over.
When Mark Chapman walked in, New Zealand was already in cruise mode at 100/2. But what followed was pure carnage:
Chapman targeted the short boundaries with surgical precision, launching balls that were even remotely full or wide. His assault in the 16th–20th overs—where NZ scored 89 runs—set a target that seemed unreachable. Yet, the West Indies nearly pulled it off.
Chasing 208, the West Indies didn’t just compete—they redefined possibility:
Brandon King (57), Nicholas Pooran (42), and Shimron Hetmyer (33*) kept the chase alive with fearless hitting. But in the end, they needed 4 off the last ball—and managed only a single.
Despite the batting fireworks, the real heroes for New Zealand were their spinners:
With the pitch offering slight grip, their variations disrupted West Indies’ timing just enough to create pressure. Sodhi’s wrong’uns and Santner’s flat trajectory forced false shots at critical junctures—proving that even in a high-scoring game, spin can be the ultimate equalizer.
With the series tied at 1-1, the decider becomes a winner-takes-all clash. New Zealand will bank on their spin duo and Chapman’s form, while the West Indies—despite the heartbreak—will take confidence from their batting depth. [INTERNAL_LINK:t20i-series-deciders-history] Historically, West Indies thrive in must-win games, but New Zealand’s composure under pressure makes this a true toss-up.
The West Indies vs New Zealand T20I was a reminder that in modern cricket, records are made to be broken—but games are won by those who handle pressure best. The West Indies played like legends, yet walked off as runners-up. New Zealand played smart, stayed calm, and snatched victory from the jaws of statistical oblivion. And that’s why, long after the sixes fade, this match will be remembered not for the runs—but for the razor-thin margin between glory and grief.
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