Reaching his fifth T20I half-century, Glenn Phillips scored a 40-ball 76 to put New Zealand ahead 215-5 as they won the toss and batted. His innings included six sixes and four fours.
West Indies could only manage 125–9 in reply, lacking partnerships that reduced New Zealand’s total, which was the most by a visiting team in a T20I in the Caribbean against West Indies.
Glenn Phillips put on 71 for the third wicket with Devon Conway, who scored 42 off 34 balls, and 83 with Daryl Mitchell, who scored 48 off 20.
West Indies’ best stand was 35 for the seventh wicket between Romario Shepherd and Rovman Powell, which began when the home team was 40-6 and the match was probably already lost. Hayden Walsh (10) and Obed McCoy (23) put on 38 runs for the last wicket.
Phillips made good use of his knowledge of the conditions at Sabina Park, his home ground in the Caribbean Premier League.
“It is wonderful to be back at Sabina Park. I’ve got great memories here, ”Phillips said in a television interview. “Being able to score 50 runs here in front of a crowd for my country, which I really love, is definitely very special to me.
“Credit to West Indies the way they bowled with the new ball, they were really, really good in terms of getting the pace off the ball when it was new and tough. As it got older, the pitch got a little better for batting.
The spin bowlers got seven wickets for the West Indies, including the first four wickets of the innings.
Mitchell Santner, who was the man of the match for his 3-19 in the first match, took a wicket on his first ball and took two wickets in his opening over to put West Indies’ run chase behind.
Off-spinner Michael Bracewell, who replaced pacer Lockie Ferguson in the New Zealand lineup, also took a wicket with his first delivery, dismissing captain Nicholas Pooran (1), as West Indies trail 12-3 at the start of the fourth over. Gone.
Santner and Bracewell both bagged 3-15 and Ish Sodhi got 1-36. Tim Southee took the only wicket that fell to a fast bowler, removing Odeon Smith on the tail to return 1–34.
Shimron Hetmyer was the first batsman not to fall to a spin bowler, who was run out by a direct hit at the bowlers’ end by New Zealand captain Kane Williamson. West Indies were 28-5 at that time and had not recovered.
Pooran said, “We haven’t come today.” “They took us out of it and we couldn’t see our way out with the bat. We had to stay in the game. It didn’t start well for us. We are struggling but the more cricket we play, our performance will increase.
The final T20 will be played at the same venue on Monday, followed by three One Day Internationals.