The Black Caps have survived a huge scare as they held on for a hard-fought nine-run win over the West Indies in Nelson to take a 2-1 lead in their Twenty20 International series.
New Zealand looked set to claim a big win, as they limited the visitors to 88-8 in the 13th over in their pursuit of 178 for victory but an 78-run partnership between Romario Shepherd and Shamar Springer set up a thrilling finish at Saxton Oval.
But Jacob Duffy and Kyle Jamieson claimed the key wickets in the final two overs to secure victory and they will now look to secure a series win in game four tomorrow, also in Nelson.
Opening batter Devon Conway laid the platform for the Black Caps, top-scoring with 56 – his highest score in Twenty20 International (T20Is) in New Zealand since he scored 63 against Australia last year, while Ish Sodhi, who was named man of the match, was dominant with the ball, finishing with 3-34, while having a hand in five of their wickets.
The Black Caps made two changes to their side, with Mark Chapman, who was man-of-the-match in their three-run win in the second T20I, ruled out with illness, replaced by Mitch Hay, while Jimmy Neesham came in for Zak Foulkes.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Conway and Tim Robinson put up an opening partnership of 47 before the latter was dismissed for 23, caught and bowled by Matthew Forde.
Rachin Ravindra came in and began a nice partnership with Conway as New Zealand reached 96-1 after 10 overs.
Ravindra was dismissed for 26 two balls later and in the ensuing over, Conway brought up his 12th T20I half-century with a six.
But the opener was left fuming in the next over after he was run out for 56, when Springer’s throw made direct contact with the top of the stumps at the non-strikers’ end.
The Black Caps were on target for a competitive total of about 200 but a stunning collapse of 35-6 in the final five overs saw them finish with their lowest first-innings total in T20Is.
In an almost identical play to Conway’s runout, Michael Bracewell was dismissed in the same fashion on 11, followed by Neesham departing for two when he was bowled by Forde, while captain Mitchell Santner was caught for four.
Hay (two), Mitchell (41) and Jamieson (one) all departed in the final two overs as New Zealand went from 142-3 to finish their innings on 177-9.
The West Indies made a great start to their chase with 13 runs in their opening over, before Duffy dismissed Amir Jangoo (five) and Shai Hope (one) in the second over.
The visitors recovered to reach 53-2 in the seventh over before a collapse saw them sit 75-6 at the midway point of their chase.
Sodhi had his hand in all four wickets, taking the scalps of Alick Athanaze (31) and Sherfane Rutherford (two), while catching Sherfane Rutherford (two) off Bracewell’s delivery, and he was involved in the runout of Ackeem Auguste (24).
Further wickets to Sodhi and Santner left the West Indies on 88-8, but Romario Shepherd and Shamar Springer fired their side into contention as they needed just 24 runs off the final two overs to secure victory.
Duffy when claimed the prized wicket of Springer with a caught and bowled which left the visitors needing 12 runs off the last over, but Jamieson was pin-point perfect with the ball, conceding just two runs before claiming the scalp of Shepherd.
New Zealand 119/9 (Conway 56, Mitchell 41; Forde 2/20)
West Indies 168/8 (Shepherd 49; Springer 39; Sodhi 3-34, Duffy 3/36)
Black Caps lead series 2-1
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.