Twitter Reactions: Windies falter in a steep chase against Kiwis in the first T20I
With no batsmen crossing the 30-run mark, the visitors collapsed for 140 playing 19 overs and lost the game by 47 runs.
New Zealand’s dominance against the West Indies continued as the hosts put up a great all-round performance in the first of the three T20 Internationals. The Caribbean men stumbled in their favourite format as well. The visitors haven’t been able to win a single game on this tour losing all the two Tests and three ODIs, the World T20 champions were hoping to regain confidence in the shortest format of the game, but things didn’t pan out well for them in the first T20I.
Winning the toss, Carlos Brathwaite opted to bowl first. The Kiwis posted a decent 187 on board, with Colin Munro and Glen Phillips scoring half centuries. The visitors came back quite well with quick wickets towards the latter half. However, Mitchell Santner’s 23 of 11 helped the Kiwis reach 187. Skipper Brathwaite and Jerome Taylor picked two wickets each while Badree, Williams, and Nurse picked one each.
Despite a decent start, the Windies openers couldn’t last long. Chris Gayle was caught behind in the third over for 12. The Kiwis gave away runs at a good rate but they successfully bagged wickets at regular intervals. Though the West Indies made 66 for four wickets in the batting powerplay, they failed to build partnerships. With no batsmen crossing the 30-run mark, the visitors collapsed for 140 playing 19 overs.
Tim Southee, the Kiwis’ captain, and right-arm pacer, Seth Rance picked three wickets each. Race’s brilliant bowling got rid of both the Windies openers, Gayle and Walton. Santner and Sodhi scalped a wicket each while Bracewell picked two wickets. Glen Phillips was awarded the Man of the Match for his crucial 55 of 40.
The Windies would like to perform better in the second T20I which is a very crucial game. With yet another loss on the Kiwi soil, the Caribbean men would want to regain their long-lost confidence, by striking back hard.
Here is how Twitterati reacted during the match:
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