New Zealand moved to the brink of the World Cup semi-final with a thrilling five-run victory over the West Indies Saturday after Carlos Brathwaite's magnificent century almost produced a highly unlikely comeback win for the Caribbean side.
Chasing 292, after skipper Kane Williamson's fine 148 for New Zealand, West Indies were well poised at 130 for two after 20 overs but never recovered from the loss of Shimron Hetmyer (54) and Chris Gayle, who made 87 including six sixes.
The Windies collapsed to 164 for seven and looked out of the game until Brathwaite led a rearguard action, bringing back memories of his sensational performance in the 2016 World T20I final.
You gotta feel for Carlos Brathwaite ? #WIvNZ #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/kyOrLVOpXi
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 22, 2019
Brathwaite's power-hitting, including nine fours and five sixes and a 41-run 24-ball last-wicket partnership with Oshane Thomas who did not score, put the West Indies within five runs of victory.
But on the final ball of the penultimate over, Brathwaite went for the big hit, only for his drive off Jimmy Neesham to find Trent Boult's hands at deep mid-on and the West Indies batsman collapsed to his knees.
The win moved unbeaten New Zealand to the top of the table with 11 points and left the Windies staring at likely elimination in seventh place with three points.
MATCH 29
NEW ZEALAND INNINGS R B
Guptill lbw b Cottrell 0 1
Munro b Cottrell 0 1
Williamson c Hope b Cottrell 148 154
Taylor c Holder b Gayle 69 95
Latham c & b Cottrell 12 16
Neesham c Cottrell b Brathwaite 28 23
De Grandhomme run out (Cottrell) 16 6
Santner c Cottrell b Brathwaite 10 5
Henry not out 0 0
Extras (lb 4, nb 1, w 3) 8
Total (50 Overs) 291/8
Fall Of Wickets
1-0 (Guptill), 2-7 (Munro), 3-167 (Taylor), 4-210 (Latham), 5-251 (Williamson), 6-270 (De Grandhomme), 7-291 (Santner), 8-291 (Neesham)
Bowling
Cottrell 10-1-56-4, Roach 10-2-38-0, Holder 7-0-42-0, Thomas 6-0-30-0, Brathwaite 6-0-58-2, Nurse 9-0-55-0, Gayle 2-0-8-1
WEST INDIES INNINGS R B
Gayle c Boult b De Grandhomme 87 84
Hope b Boult 1 3
Pooran c Latham b Boult 1 7
Hetmyer b Ferguson 54 45
Holder c Latham b Ferguson 0 1
Brathwaite c Boult b Neesham 101 82
Nurse c Latham b Boult 1 8
Lewis c Neesham b Boult 0 3
Roach c Latham b Henry 14 31
Cottrell b Ferguson 15 26
Thomas not out 0 4
Extras (lb 3, w 9) 12
Total (49 Overs) 286 all out
Fall Of Wickets
1-3 (Hope), 2-20 (Pooran), 3-142 (Hetmyer), 4-142 (Holder), 5-152 (Gayle), 6-163 (Nurse), 7-164 (Lewis), 8-211 (Roach), 9-245 (Cottrell), 10-286 (Brathwaite)
Bowling
Boult 10-1-30-4, Henry 9-0-76-1, Ferguson 10-0-59-3, Neesham 6-0-35-1, Santner 10-1-61-0, De Grandhomme 4-0-22-1
New Zealand won by five runs
MoM: Kane Williamson