West Indies have cruised to Super 8 stage of ICC tournament.         West Indies batter Sherfane Rutherford seen hitting a shot agaisnt New Zealand on Jun 13, 2024.— X@ESPNCricinfo

West Indies defeated New Zealand on Thursday in the 26th match of the ICC T20 World Cup by 13 runs and confirmed the slot in the Super 8 stage of the mega event.

The match was played at Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba, Trinidad.

Earlier, the Windies managed to reach a total of 149 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in their 20 overs against Kiwis in their third league game of the World Cup.

The hosts were in deep trouble after losing 9 wickets for just 112 runs. However, A 37-run last-wicket partnership propelled them to a respectable total of 149.

Left-handed batter Sherfane Rutherford shined for West Indies with 68 runs off just 39 balls. His innings included two fours and six maximums. No other batter could create an impact as the second highest scorer of the innings was Nicholas Pooran with 17 runs.

The Kiwi bowlers kept their team on top since the start of the innings, with the Windies losing four wickets within the powerplay. Trent Boult starred with three wickets for just 16 runs in four overs, while Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson got two wickets each.

Earlier, New Zealand experienced a significant defeat in their opening game against Afghanistan.

Lineups

New Zealand XI: Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wk), Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult.

West Indies XI: Brandon King, Johnson Charles, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Roston Chase, Rovman Powell (c), Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie.