(Windies Cricket)

Rutherford showcased the performance of a lifetime, hammering six sixes and two fours in his 39-ball 68, propelling West Indies from a precarious position of 76 for 7 in 12.3 overs to a total of 149 for 9. This remarkable turnaround came in a crucial Group C encounter, where New Zealand chose to field first in a match with knockout implications.

In response, West Indies contained New Zealand to 136 for 9, with Gudakesh Motie, hailing from the same region as Rutherford, impressively claiming figures of 3/25. Alzarri Joseph, delivering an impactful performance towards the end of the innings, emerged as the chief destroyer with his 4/19.

Securing their third consecutive victory, the hosts secured passage to the Super Eight stage, while New Zealand faced dim prospects after suffering consecutive defeats. Their earlier loss to Afghanistan by 84 runs, where they were bundled out for 75, had already placed their campaign in jeopardy. Despite being known for their consistency in World Cups, the 2021 runners-up have faltered this time around.

They reached the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup in 2015, 2019, and 2023, while in the T20 World Cups of 2016, 2021, and 2022, the Black Caps secured a spot in the last four. Despite the late hour in Trinidad, locals erupted in celebration as their team clinched qualification for the Super Eight stage, dispelling the disappointment of consecutive setbacks in major tournaments.

The two-time former champions faced elimination in the Super-12 stage of the 2021 competition held in the UAE. Similarly, in 2022 in Australia, they faltered to progress beyond the group stage, ending their campaign prematurely.

“It was fantastic. I was sitting there with Nicholas and it was such a beautiful night for someone to stand up and be counted,” skipper Rovman Powell said.

“That innings gave us confidence and belief. We watched what they did well and tried to replicate it.”

“It is one tick in the box, but it is only the start of something big to come. Hopefully we can continue the momentum,” said Rutherford on making Super Eight.

Williamson implemented three alterations to the lineup that suffered a significant defeat against Afghanistan, signaling clear intent. Trent Boult set the tone by dismissing Johnson Charles in the opening over, inducing the opener to chop onto his stumps. The left-arm pacer from New Zealand concluded with exceptional figures of 3 wickets for 16 runs in his allotted four overs.

Nicholas Pooran managed to gather some momentum with three quick boundaries, surpassing Chris Gayle to become the highest T20I run-scorer for the West Indies. However, New Zealand seized control, as Pooran and subsequently Roston Chase both mistimed their shots, resulting in straightforward catches for the fielders in consecutive overs.

The dismissal of captain Rovman Powell marked the conclusion of a dominant powerplay for the Kiwis, with the West Indies reeling at 23/4 after six overs, as pacer Tim Southee claimed two wickets. The woes continued as opener Brandon King fell to James Neesham, resulting in half of the West Indies team returning to the dugout by the seventh over.

However, Sherfane Rutherford had different plans and orchestrated one of the finest innings of his career. The 25-year-old Guyanese all-rounder bided his time before unleashing an onslaught in the final five overs, smashing five fours and two sixes. Rutherford reached his fifty off the last ball of the 19th over, plundering 18 runs in total from it, leaving Mitchell Santner bewildered.

Rutherford single-handedly amassed all 37 runs in the final partnership with Motie, establishing a new 10th wicket record in ICC T20 World Cup history.

In response, New Zealand’s innings got off to a rocky start as they lost both their openers, Devon Conway and Finn Allen, within the powerplay. Left-arm spinner Motie then bamboozled the Kiwi batsmen with a match-altering spell of 4 overs, conceding 25 runs and claiming 3 crucial wickets, before Joseph took charge with his four-wicket haul.

Motie accounted for the dismissal of Rachin Ravindra, who miscued a flick straight to Russell at deep mid-wicket. He then induced a faint edge from Williamson, luring him into a cut shot, resulting in a catch for Pooran.

Despite Glenn Phillips’ valiant effort with a 33-ball 40, Joseph managed to dismiss him, keeping the West Indies in control. New Zealand found themselves needing 33 runs from the last over, where Mitchell Santner blasted three sixes off the first four balls but ultimately fell short of the required target.