Nelson: Persistent rain forced the abandonment of the fourth T20I between New Zealand and the West Indies at Saxton Oval after just 39 balls of play.
With the washout, New Zealand maintained a 2–1 lead in the five-match series, with one game remaining. The hosts had narrowly lost the opener by seven runs before pulling off thrilling defenses in the next two matches—Kyle Jamieson holding his nerve to defend 15 and 11 runs, respectively, in the final overs.
New Zealand won the toss and opted to bowl first. The match began on time, but rain intervened in the fifth over with the West Indies at 30 without loss. Though light drizzle had persisted from the start, it intensified after the sixth ball of the over, forcing the players off the field.
Play resumed about 20 minutes later, and Jimmy Neesham struck immediately, removing Alick Athanaze. Opener Amir Jangoo responded with a crisp cover-driven boundary to close the powerplay at 35 for one. However, heavier rain soon returned, leading to the game’s eventual abandonment.
The West Indies now have a chance to level the series in the fifth and final T20I in Dunedin on Thursday, while New Zealand will aim to seal a 3–1 victory.
After the washout, Windies skipper Shai Hope said, “We didn’t really get a chance to get out there and maximise in this game, but we’ve still got a chance to level the series and that’s our main focus for the next one.”
“Unfortunately, we didn’t win those last two games. But every time you put yourself in this position, you’ve got a chance to win. I’m very happy with the progress we’re making,” he added.
