West Indies Women edged past New Zealand Women by 7 wickets with one ball to spare in the fourth match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 at West End.
After being asked to bat first, New Zealand Women posted 162/6 in their 20 overs. Izzy Gaze gave New Zealand a flying start alongside Georgia Plimmer as the pair added 49 runs for the opening wicket. New Zealand Women built several useful partnerships throughout the innings. Sophie Devine and Brooke Halliday made valuable contributions, while Maddy Green played a blazing unbeaten knock at the end to help her side cross the 160-run mark.
Aaliyah Alleyne (4/27 in 4 overs) was the standout bowler for West Indies Women, while Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin picked up one wicket each.
Chasing 163, West Indies Women lost Qiana Joseph in the second over. However, Hayley Matthews and Shemaine Campbelle added a quick-fire 74-run partnership for the second wicket before Jess Kerr dismissed Matthews in the 12th over. West Indies lost another wicket in the 16th over, but Campbelle held her nerve and guided her team across the finish line with one ball remaining. She played a superb unbeaten knock of 90 off 62 balls and stayed at the crease until the end.
With this victory, West Indies Women started their campaign on a positive note.
New Zealand Make Strong Start With The Bat
Earlier, New Zealand looked set for a much bigger total after an impressive start. Izzy Gaze led the charge and attacked from the beginning. She struck eight boundaries and raced to 37 from just 23 balls. Georgia Plimmer supported her as New Zealand reached 49 without loss in the sixth over.
Gaze also survived an early chance when Hayley Matthews failed to hold onto a return catch. The defending champions appeared comfortable and played with freedom during the powerplay.
Alleyne Sparks West Indies Fightback
Aaliyah Alleyne turned the match around with a superb spell of bowling. The medium pacer struck three crucial wickets in six deliveries to halt New Zealand's momentum.
She first removed Plimmer, who found Deandra Dottin in the deep. Alleyne then dismissed captain Melie Kerr and Gaze in quick succession. Both batters attempted attacking shots but failed to clear the infield, with Karishma Ramharack taking the catches.
New Zealand slipped from a strong position to 56/3 in the eighth over as West Indies fought their way back into the match.
Halliday and Green Rescue New Zealand
After the collapse, Brooke Halliday and Sophie Devine helped rebuild the innings. Devine contributed 22 from 15 balls before Jahzara Claxton took an important catch to end her innings.
Halliday then anchored the middle overs with a valuable 40 from 32 deliveries. She mixed powerful drives with clever reverse sweeps to keep the scoreboard moving.
Alleyne eventually dismissed Halliday and finished with outstanding figures of 4/27.
Green's Late Assault Lifts New Zealand
Despite losing wickets, New Zealand finished strongly thanks to Maddy Green. Green remained unbeaten on 35 from 22 balls and attacked in the closing overs. She struck a huge six off Afy Fletcher and collected four boundaries from her final eight deliveries.
Her late hitting helped New Zealand reach a competitive total of 162 and gave the defending champions hope of starting their campaign with a victory.
However, Campbelle's brilliance and New Zealand's costly fielding mistakes ultimately proved decisive. West Indies completed a memorable chase and produced one of the standout victories of the tournament.
Campbelle and Matthews Build Winning Platform
West Indies suffered an early setback when opening batter Qiana Joseph was run out in the second over. The dismissal came after a mix-up with captain Hayley Matthews. Matthews called for a risky single and then continued running, leaving Joseph stranded. The frustrated opener exchanged words with her captain before heading back to the pavilion.
Despite the incident, Matthews quickly regained her focus and played a crucial innings of 48 from 37 balls. She combined with Campbelle for a match-defining 74-run partnership for the second wicket. The pair rebuilt the innings and steadily shifted momentum toward West Indies.
New Zealand Let Chances Slip Away
New Zealand's fielding performance proved costly. Matthews received an early lifeline when Izzy Sharp dropped a straightforward catch after the captain top-edged a sweep shot.
Campbelle also benefited from several missed opportunities. New Zealand failed to complete a stumping chance, while several catches went down during the chase.
Melie Kerr thought she had dismissed Campbelle on 24, but replays showed the ball had struck outside the line. Soon after, Matthews launched a huge six over extra cover and New Zealand's fielding began to unravel.
Nensi Patel dropped Matthews off her own bowling, and moments later Melie Kerr spilled a simple chance offered by Campbelle. The repeated errors allowed West Indies to take firm control of the contest.
Campbelle Takes Charge
Campbelle capitalised fully on the opportunities. She attacked New Zealand's bowlers with confidence and reached her half-century from just 39 deliveries. She hammered several boundaries and launched three massive sixes as the required run rate remained under control.
Even after Matthews departed, Campbelle continued to dominate. New Zealand managed to remove dangerous batter Deandra Dottin, but Campbelle remained calm and kept the chase alive. Her aggressive approach ensured West Indies stayed ahead of the asking rate during the crucial final overs.
Dramatic Finish Seals Famous Victory
The match went down to the final over with New Zealand still hoping to defend their total. Veteran captain Sophie Devine took responsibility and nearly produced a remarkable turnaround. With only four runs needed, she conceded just two runs from the first five deliveries, increasing the pressure on West Indies.
A mistimed shot from Jahzara Claxton added to the tension. However, Campbelle held her nerve. On the final ball she sprinted through for the winning run and narrowly beat wicketkeeper Izzy Gaze's attempt to break the stumps. The successful run completed a remarkable chase and sparked celebrations in the West Indies camp.
Brief Scorecard
