Duffy–Sodhi Spell Guides New Zealand to Nail-Biting Nine-Run Win Over West Indies in Third T20I

Nelson, Nov 2025 : New Zealand held their nerve in a tense finish to defeat the West Indies by nine runs in the third T20I at Saxton Oval on Sunday, taking a 2–1 lead in the five-match series. The victory was shaped largely by superb bowling displays from Jacob Duffy and Ish Sodhi, who derailed the visitors’ chase early and ensured the hosts remained in control for most of the innings.

Opting to bat first, New Zealand appeared well on course for a commanding total after a solid start, but a late collapse restricted them to 177/9— their lowest T20I score at this venue. The opening pair of Tim Robinson and Devon Conway added 47 before Conway departed for 23, dismissed by Matthew Forde, who was the pick of the West Indies bowlers with an economical 2-20. Rachin Ravindra and Conway stitched a crucial fifty-run stand, but once Conway fell in the 13th over, the innings lost momentum.

Despite being positioned strongly at 142/3, New Zealand stumbled dramatically in the final overs. The West Indies bowlers, led by Jason Holder (2-31) and Shamar Springer (1-36), applied pressure with disciplined death bowling. The hosts lost six wickets for just 35 runs in the last five overs, eventually settling for 177/9 from their 20 overs. Daryl Mitchell’s 41 and Conway’s 56 were the standout contributions with the bat.

The West Indies’ chase unraveled quickly as Duffy and Sodhi ran through the top and middle order. The visitors crashed to 68/6, then 88/8 by the 13th over, putting New Zealand firmly in command. Sodhi’s clever variations fetched him 3-24, while Duffy’s accuracy earned him 3-36 as the Caribbean side struggled for stability.

However, Romario Shepherd and Shamar Springer engineered a remarkable late revival, counterattacking with a 78-run partnership off just 39 balls. Shepherd, in particular, was explosive, hammering boundaries to keep the chase alive and ignite hopes of a stunning comeback.

With 12 runs needed off the final over, the West Indies had a realistic chance of pulling off an improbable victory. But Kyle Jamieson delivered under pressure, removing Shepherd for 49 and closing the game out efficiently to seal the win for New Zealand.

The match added yet another thrilling chapter to recent encounters between the two teams, with both sides showing resilience and the ability to claw back from difficult situations.

Brief Scores:
New Zealand 177/9 (Devon Conway 56, Daryl Mitchell 41; Matthew Forde 2-20, Jason Holder 2-31)
beat
West Indies 168/10 (Romario Shepherd 49, Shamar Springer 39; Ish Sodhi 3-24, Jacob Duffy 3-36)
by 9 runs.

Team Maverick.